Runt of The Litter
by Lexa Silver
Summary: April was a runt, an outcast but also a fighter; and now she had a teaching position at Beacon Hills High School. Teaching is hard enough with a bunch of hormonal teenagers but add supernatural beings and a job where everyone else has either died in or become a maniacal evil being in; and it makes things slightly more complicated.
1. Chapter 1

**_Authors Notes:_** _So this story begins in season 4 sometime after episode 7. The main character has started teaching midway through first semester and it will follow some of the plot from episode 8 and 9 but that's where my own creation will begin for the plot. _

April Managarm was the runt of her family, and to most humans that would mean she was the smallest or the weakest but in her family it took on a whole new meaning. She was also now a teacher at one of the most deadly schools for teachers she'd ever heard of; Beacon Hills High School. She went to an interview over a month ago for the permanent position of English and History teacher, it was one of the most fast and easy interviews she'd ever been to and when she asked why the previous person had left, they only answered her with such vagueness that she investigated into the mysterious past of Beacon Hills teaching staff. It wasn't surprising that they never told her what happened to the previous staff, after all it seemed as if the position she had just accepted was basically the defense against the dark arts position at Hogwarts, everyone either died or were some maniacal creature of the dark.

April was fully aware of the supernatural for she was born into an ancient family of werewolves, one that was said to have come from Viking lore. Therefore her family was not only very old but also very powerful in the supernatural world. They were the ultimate alphas, only thing that came close was a true alpha; unlike most werewolves who become alphas they were born alphas. Nevertheless once every 1/2 century or so, their family was cursed with a runt, who was neither werewolf nor human. April was one of those lucky few.

She was stronger than the average female human but not nearly the same as a werewolf or anything were for that matter. She didn't have glowing eyes but she did have quite nice violet one (although that was just lucky human genetics playing there part). She had better hand eye coordination than most human but she also had problems that were completely human such as needing glasses for distance. She was stuck between not being good enough to werewolves and not being normal enough for humans, in the end she could blend better with humans than her family; especially when it came to full moons.

When her family transformed on a full moon they did not retain their human form, they turned into full bodied wolves (well if wolves were the size of a grizzly that is). Any other time they transformed they could choose, but not the night of a full moon, it was said that this was because they were from such a pure lineage. April however did nothing of the sort, it was if the full moon had the opposite effect, she became much more human almost like a human child. She was weak and very vulnerable. Oh and if that wasn't all enough she didn't even get the human benefit of being able to get drunk easily! It was awful to figure that out in university.

April was a chocolate brown haired woman who at the moment was moving the last bits of her stuff into her new home; she had bought the house when she was told that the teacher position was a ten year contract and decided that when they accepted her, she'd make Beacon Hills her home. Her family had basically kicked her out of the house the moment she turned 18 with enough money to pay for university and to make a small down payment on a house; which April was thankful for but honestly she felt like she still owed them for it and she hated that feeling.

She was starting on Monday and honestly she was nervous because not only was she dealing with a bunch of hormonal teenagers but a bunch of supernatural beings. When April had found out about the dead teachers she did A LOT more digging into the high school but also the town. She discovered the town was a beacon for trouble, she wasn't going to involve herself but Alan Deaton had asked for her aid after he discovered she was trying for the teacher position at Beacon Hills High School. Alan was friends with her family but more so with her and he was the one who told them to give her money for school and to basically leave her in peace; she owed him a lot and if helping a bunch of kids was the way to do that she'd do it.

April grabbed her keys from her jacket and jumped into her truck and drove to the store, to grab her dinner and food for the next week. When she arrived some asshole cut her off to a good parking spot and she just shook her head, humans were in such a hurry to be somewhere. She parked in the back and grabbed a basket for her food. She finished her groceries pretty quickly since she'd been shopping for herself since she was a teenager. She lined up in queue and she observed her surroundings.

**"Damn it! Look I forgot my purse at home; is there any way I can leave and then come back and get the groceries?" The women in front of April asked the cashier. The cashier looked at her with disgust and refused to allow it. What a bitch April thought. It didn't help that the guy behind me was grumbling about being in a hurry; damn some people had no compassion. **

**"Here, I'll pay for her groceries, how much?" I said passing my credit card to the cashier who looked beyond shocked, making my smile turn into a smirk begging her to try and say something bitchy to me. **

**"Oh wow that's um not really necessary, I can just comeback; seriously." The woman said looking very uncomfortable with the unknown charity. **

**"Don't worry about it, plus I've been there myself. If it'll make you feel better pay me back later." I said smiling and liking the woman instantly for her obvious strength. **

**"Well thanks and I will definitely be paying you back" she said chuckling in obvious awkwardness. "I'm Melissa by the way." She said as I paid for my own groceries. **

**"I'm April, nice to meet you." I said attempting to shake her hand than realizing both our hands were full of groceries. Both of us looked at each other as we had both done the same thing; an awkward balance attempt with grocery bags and shaking hands. **

**"How about we skip the hand shake and get these things to our cars" she said laughing and walking towards the door. **

**"Sounds like a better idea than dropping all this food." I said laughing and walking with her towards her car, which was conveniently parked across from mine. **

**"So about paying you back, um I can drop off money at your house or you can follow me to mine." Melissa said as she placed her groceries in her trunk and I placed mine in the bed of my pick up truck. **

**"Either way is fine with me, I do have ice cream though so maybe it'd be best if we get these groceries into the fridge than coming over." I said realising it was still warm enough to spoil food. **

**"Yeah sounds good just text me your address" Melissa said as we both exchanged numbers and left to our own homes after a brief goodbye. **

April got to her new house and instantly smiled, she loved this little bungalow. It was a red brick house with a dusty green porch; it had a lovely chimney which helped heat the entire house if for some reason it'd get cold in California. She wasn't used to the heat since she was originally from Canada. The property backed onto a half acre of forest, it was one quality she kept from her family; loving the outdoors. There was a tire swing on the tree on her front yard it had a white garage which hooked into the basement of the house. She had already gotten the contractors to make it basically indestructible, despite not being a werewolf or a hunter April was well prepared for anything battle related; and she knew it. She may not have been truly a part of her family but she sure as hell took all their training to heart. April walked into the house with her groceries and began putting them away. Her house was decorated like a small country cottage, with a pale blue kitchen (which was the main reason she had bought the house a month ago), dark mahogany floors throughout, and lovely black leather furnishing she had collected over the years.

When she finally put the groceries away she decided she might as well start unpacking the living room (the kitchen was the first thing she had unpacked since she needed it before anything else) while waiting for Melissa. She busied herself with nick nacks and cleaning but an hour later Melissa had yet to show up. She wondered what was keeping her, she didn't believe Melissa would have stood her up but maybe April had trusted the wrong person; wouldn't be the first time. April hummed along till almost everything was unpacked at 8pm she decided to go lock all the doors and figured Melissa wouldn't be coming this evening. She began making herself a snack when she heard a knock on the door, she went to answer the door but as her training taught her she looked at the camera feed to the side of the front door making sure it was Melissa; it was.

**"Oh thank god your still around, I'm soooo sorry I didn't come back right away. My son fell off his dirt bike and I had to help him, then if that wasn't enough the hospital called and needed me to come in for an hour to cover for another nurse who went into and early labor…." Melissa said spilling all out into one very crammed sentence. **

**"Melissa, don't worry about it. Why don't you come in and have a cup of tea, you look like you could use it." I said opening the door wider and at the same time putting the picture frame back over the monitor from the camera feed (she hid so people didn't ask questions). **

**"I don't want to impose but a cup of tea sounds lovely." Melissa said her shoulders slumping in exhaustion. **

**"You're not imposing plus it will be nice knowing someone in this town." I said smiling and leading her to the kitchen. "So how old is your son?" I asked being slightly curious if he'd be a student at my school. **

**"Scott's turning 17 in a month. Your home is beautiful by the way, what brought you to Beacon Hills anyway?" Melissa asked as she sat down at the bar in the kitchen and I put on the kettle. **

**"Oh well I just got a teaching position at Beacon Hills High School as an English and history teacher. I start Monday, it's not my first teaching job but for some reason I'm quite nervous." I said honestly as I busied myself getting the tea ready. **

**"That's where Scott goes, don't worry about the kids they are a good bunch and if it helps I'll tell Scott to be on his best behaviour." Melissa said chuckling and then yawning.**

**"Here you go; I'm sure your son will be good either way, but thank you." I said smiling as I saw the dark circles under Melissa's eyes suddenly become darker as if the exhaustion had finally hit her. **

**"Thanks, he is a good kid. Oh before I forget here is the money I owe you." Melissa said pulling it from her pocket and placing it on the counter. **

**"Thank you, so what do I need to know about this crazy town? Anybody I should avoid? Any exes I shouldn't go near?" I said chuckling at her shocked face which then became lighter as it looked like she needed some adult girl talk, or rather just light gossip. **

**"Well Scott's dad and I are divorced, and he went back to San Francisco last week for work. So basically I'm dreadfully single, so if you find some good guys let me know!" Melissa said laughing.**

Melissa went home after an hour or so chatting with April and it was the first time in ages either woman had some genuine girl talk that didn't involve werewolves and the crazy lives they both led; ignorant only to Melissa since Deaton had already explained who Scott McCall was to her. It was good to have a friend in Beacon Hills but more importantly it was good to get an idea of who this gang of misfits Deaton had told her about truly were. April locked up and went to bed for the first time in her new home.


	2. Chapter 2

April woke up screaming, it wasn't unusual for her since she always had severe nightmares. She took deep breaths trying to calm her racing heart and grabbed her glasses off her nightstand and decided she was awake so she might as well get up and possibly get a run in. It was something she loved to do since she realized she could outrun most boys at school; something about kicking butt especially from twerp kids in school made her feel powerful. She threw on some leggings and her red workout jacket and plug in her i-pod, letting the music blast to probably an unhealthy level. Locking her door she ran to the back of her property and continued running past the fence knowing there wasn't private property anywhere for 10 miles from her backyard at least according to the Realtor. She ran till she could feel the burn and decided to take a 5 minute break and unplug and just be one with nature; it was her form of meditating. April closed her eyes but abruptly opened them as she heard rustling behind her.

**"****Didn't anyone tell you little girls shouldn't walk in the woods alone?" a man asked from behind a large oak tree.**

**"****Why you the big bad wolf?" I said observing the man before me, calculating the threat he was and groaning at my poor choice of words. I leaned on my back leg, crossing my arms over my chest and smirked because he seemed slightly shocked that I wasn't overly scared.**

**"****If you only knew, maybe you should run off to grandmas now?" he said smirking and leaning on the large oak tree to his left. **

**"****Maybe I should it's where the wolf gets killed after all" I said smirking at my comeback like and better yet his scowl. She didn't know why but she liked this sassy conversation, it was rather amusing even if she needed to be going.**

**"****So why are you on my property?" he said looking rather annoyed that he didn't have something clever to say. **

**"****Your property, the Realtor****told me there wasn't any private property in these woods for 10 miles from Appleby Dr." I said slightly annoyed that the Realtor****had lied and that now I was the one cornered in this conversation. **

**"****You ran all the way from Appleby Dr?" he said looking rather astonished than suspicious. I didn't understand why, any human could run ten miles so why did she get the feeling she wasn't being looked at as a human anymore. **

**"****Yeah, got a problem with that?" I said getting annoyed with his prying eyes as if he could read me. "Look I didn't mean to trespass I'll just get off your property, but just so you know you ought to have markers up so people don't stumble onto it." I said stepping away from the man and heading towards my house. **

**"****I might just do that" he said almost in a growl, although to be honest his voice just had the raspy, growly quality. If it hadn't been for him startling her and being snarly****she'd probably find it attractive.**

April ran back towards her property but she did make sure the strange man from the woods hadn't followed her, even going as far as erasing tracks and laying down false one. She didn't know why but all her instincts told her that man could be deadly if he wanted to be. She wasn't sure if that instinct meant figuratively to someone's emotions or literally; either way she didn't want to stick around and find out. When she finally got home she jumped into the shower and got cleaned up for the day, she had a whole day planned and yet the only thing she kept thinking about was that stupid man in the forest. When April was finally ready for the day she went out to grab a few school supplies she still needed and then headed over to the vet clinic where she was to meet Alan for lunch.

April opened the clinics door to a little chime; she walked in and instantly was hit with the smell of cleaner and wet dog, it was a unique smell to get used to. She walked up to the secretary and asked to see Alan, and then Scott McCall appeared. His mother Melissa had talked about him working here the previous day and of course she already knew it because of Alan but at least this way she could help out with without giving herself away.

**"****Here Mrs. Simpson, you need to give Harvey these pills twice a day with food and if there are any problems feel free to call us." Scott McCall said smiling as he handed her a dog what April would have called a rat with fur. **

**"****Hi, you wouldn't be Scott by chance would you?" I said smiling at the lady leaving the store but keeping my eyes peeled on the young man in front of me. **

**"****Yeah, how do you know who I am?" Scott said looking not only confused but on high alert.**

**"****Sorry, I should introduce myself, my name is April. Your mom and I had tea the other day. She said you worked here." I said smiling at the boy hoping he understood I meant no harm to him or his pack.**

**"****Oh you're the woman who paid for the groceries yesterday, yeah she told me. Well thanks I guess, but what are you doing here?" Scott said now just looking confused. **

**"****I'm meeting a friend for lunch actually, you might know him." I said a little conspiratorially as I saw Alan coming up behind him. **

**"****You chose a veterinarian clinic to meet? Sorry but isn't that a little odd?" Scott said obviously not realizing****the person I was meeting stood directly behind him. **

**"****Well Scott, seeing as she's meeting the veterinarian I think it's a perfectly acceptable place to meet; don't you?" Alan Deaton said smiling and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. **

**"****Oh sorry Deaton, I didn't know you were dating, I'll just go help the animals." Scott said turning pink and trying to escape the awkward scenario, but I couldn't help it I laughed out loud; both to Alan's and Scott's shock. **

**"****Sorry, but we aren't dating. No offense Alan but you've been somewhat of an uncle figure to me for a very long time. Scott we are just old friends, but never the less let me get this man out of here before I waste anymore of his lunch hour." I said still trying to hold in my laughter at the absurdity of us dating. "I'll see you in class Scott." I said making Scott scurry away even faster. **

**"****You're supposed to be helping him not embarrass the poor boy." Alan whispered sassily to me as we walked out of the clinic. **

**"****Oh relax Alan you know I'll help him but that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun too." I said laughing at his serious expression; honestly this guy really needs to lighten up sometimes. **

**"****Still, I need him to trust you while I'm gone and having you tease and embarrass him will not help the matter!" Alan said with exasperation, looking as older for once. Honestly Deaton still looked the same age as the first day I had met him it was a little freaky at times. Supernatural always age differently for instance Deaton was twice her age at least, but he only looked at max 10 years older than herself. **

**"****I know Alan you don't need to remind me, plus adults always tease teenagers so acting the same as everyone else will help me be the normalcy we both know he's craving." I said giving him a pointed look showing him I did know what I was doing. **

**"****Also call me Deaton here; no one calls me Alan anymore. So what do you want to eat?" Deaton said making April smile at the thought of food. **

**"****You pick Deaton; this is your town after all." I said emphasizing****his last name but also knowing that soon it would become as much a part of me as it did Deaton. **


	3. Chapter 3

Deaton had chosen a small diner for them to have lunch in; he explained what had been happening to April in the last few days, since she had been busy with moving arrangements. It was a lot to take in, the last few years at Beacon Hills has been busy to say the least. April tried to sum it all up in her head, Derek and Peter Hale were a love/ hate uncle nephew duo that either helped or tried to kill Scott; Derek became a teenager again but now is his right age but slowly losing his powers (which was why Deaton was leaving so he could help him) while Peter lost 117 million dollars which was heisted by the same woman who killed his entire family. Kate Argent was that crazy ass bitch who stole from Peter and also the one who came back from the dead as some were-jaguar and had Berserkers under her command. Malia Tate is the daughter of Peter Hale and she just found out according to Deaton who was told by Scott while the students were trapped in the Hale vault which is under the school. Lydia Martin is a banshee as well as some girl named Mary, Martha….wait Meredith who is in the mental ward called the Eichen house.

If all that wasn't complicated enough she had to remember Scott's pack. Kira Yukimura is a Thunder Kitsune, and honestly April only knew basic information on that supernatural being. Then there was Stiles, Scott's best friend and apparently was once fully possessed by Nogitsune which Deaton had to explain to April probably half a dozen times because even with her extensive knowledge she never dealt with that. Then there was Scott who honestly impressed April not only because of his true alpha status, but because he was also seemed to balance the werewolf stuff and tried to look after his mom (Melissa had touched on the subject at tea). Scott was also numero uno on this supposed death list; which came to be called the Deadpool. Oh and to complete this little cluster fuck of crazy off, she has to teach all these kids about grammar and history!

Her first class was actually quite normal, but then again she didn't have any of the meddling kids in it either they weren't to be in her class till after lunch. When she looked over Scott's packs attendance and grades she was astonished that any of them were actually passing for they all had more absences than presences. Stiles and Lydia were still at the top of their class, which wasn't surprising the way Deaton went on and on about their ingenuity in a crisis. Kira wasn't doing as well as her previous years but she was still pulling off a B average. Scott on the other hand wasn't doing well with a barely C average; but the worst case was Malia since she was barely passing at all. Although being a coyote for 8 years does give her a little bit of an excuse.

**"****Good Afternoon class, I'm Ms. Managarm and I will be your teacher for the remainder of the semester." I said as I wrote my name on the black board, unlike most teachers today I was quite old fashioned in my approach (well at least that's what the other teachers said). **

**"****So apparently the temporary teacher you had has assigned you Romeo and Juliet, last week. How many have begun reading it?" I said looking at two hands raised and a few other hesitant one as if the students thought they might get in trouble if they didn't read the literature. **

**"****Good, not many have begun. I am passing out your new syllabus for the year which I want you to quickly glance over so you can know what you'll be doing for the remainder of the semester." I said quickly passing out the papers. Stiles hand shot up, I should have known.**

**"****This says we are reading 3 books this semester, how are we supposed to do that! That's just stupidly impossible we only have 3 months left of school!" Stiles said his voice rose to a higher pitch on the last few words because of frustration.**

**"****Well Mr. Stilinski, that is your name right?" I said looking at him from over my glasses as he nodded. "You are supposed to open the books, use your eyes and read. You do know how to read don't you?" I said smiling overly sweet; when everyone else's face tried to either hide their smirk or purely shocked a teacher would say that to a student. **

** "****Yes I know how to read." Stiles said crossing his arms and sitting up taller and looking angry (well maybe she should have held back her sass but honestly saying my idea is stupid isn't exactly getting on my good side.) and was about to say something else but Scott stopped him with a glare. **

**"****Is there something you would like to add Mr. McCall?" I asked wondering just how clever this young man was in a tense situation.**

**"****I, I …I believe he just wants to read all of the books and is scared he won't be able to in such a short amount of time." Scott sputtered out, well I thought it was eloquently put with the stutter and all but it was obvious he could smooth out a tense scenario fairly well; which is good looking at Scott's past. **

**"****Well I believe you are both correct." I said walking towards the black board and writing the three titles on the board in 3 large boxes with space underneath for names. "Which is why, I am randomly assigning you books so all of you are not reading the same book." I said turning around and smirking at all the sighs of relief that echoed through the classroom. **

**"****Oh thank god." Malia said slumping into her seat. **

The remainder of the class went well and as planned; no surprise outbursts, no epidemic nor any birds hitting the window which apparently had happened once before (honestly the school was jinxed). April handed out the books and homework and was surprised when some of the students seemed to be generally excited for the books she had chosen for they had never been done at this school before; she had chosen Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, Stone Angel by Margaret Lawrence and Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. She had chosen books with all very different stories and yet also one big similarity; female leads.

**"****Well last class of the day! How has your day been class?" I asked getting very odd looks from all the students who were either confused by my presence in a History and English class or by the fact I had just asked how their day was as a whole. **

**"****What cat got your tongue ladies and gentlemen? I asked how your day was so please someone kindly answer." I said looking at them as they all looked at one another confused but Malia was the first to put up her hand (which looked like it might have been a first for her by the expression of triumph on her face).**

**"****Well math sucked, honestly does anyone actually enjoy it?! Lunch was good though, and I liked the book you gave me I started reading it on my free period." Malia said smiling oblivious that under social norms complaining about school to your teacher is quite absurd and probably wrong (obviously Stiles thought so since he groaned and put his head to the desk). **

**"****Well than maybe this might interest you Malia, tomorrow I am starting an after school homework program and if you'd like to join all you have to do is sign up at the end of class with me. Maybe we can help you with that math. Now to start I am, Ms. Managarm as many of you know and I will be teaching this history class as well." I said smiling at Malia who looked hopeful for the first time today. **

**"****You teach history and English?" Kira asked looking a little shocked.**

**"****Yes Kira, I went to school for English and History since they were such passions of mine even going as far as England for an archaeological dig in my final semester at Brown. Which is why although I know many of you have not enjoyed history in the past I hope to do my very best to make you understand how we can all truly benefit about knowing our past." I said smiling at her knowing I had impressed her into a stunned silence.**

**"****Now here is your syllabus, and now Stiles you won't be reading three books in this class." I said winking at him as I passed his desk and all the other students chuckling. **

**"****Because this is world history class we will be discussing many events that you may not have heard about; but I will also like to discuss American history in the media and therefore we will have a small unit where we will watch films and listen to music and discuss their relevance to historical events." I said smiling when the student's faces perked up at the sound of movies in class. **

**"****Alright we have twenty minutes left, and I'd like for everyone to do this quiz. Don't worry it's not for marks but it is to evaluate what you know about history so I can judge the level of knowledge in this class. Start whenever you get the paper, you have till the end of class to finish; if you finish it early please quietly bring it to the front and then you are free to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Also don't forget to sign up for the after school homework sessions." I said as I passed out the test. I saw Stiles hand come up hesitantly. **

**"****Yes Stiles?" I said waiting patiently for his question. **

**"****So we're actually free to leave once it's done; Even if the class isn't officially over?" Stiles asked trying to figure out if it was a trick. **

**"****Well unless you want to stay in class, but I believe what you're asking is if there is a trick here somewhere. I can assure you Mr. Stilinski this is no trick and I honestly believe that if you can finish your class work promptly there is no reason for me to keep you in these four bland walls." I said knowing that when I was in school staring at a chalk board was never my favourite thing to do. **

**"****Oh, cool!" Malia said smiling as she went to work on her test. **

April smiled when most students finished early and left the class with giant smiles; she truly did love teaching. When Stiles and Malia came up at similar times, April could tell there was tension between the two. Malia signed up for the homework sessions and then left in a huff, avoiding eye contact with Stiles at all cost. Stiles sighed and was about to follow after her when April coughed and shook her head. Stiles looked up saw the sign-up sheet and realized that April was trying to help him out by showing him he could talk to Malia in tomorrows after school session. When school was done April stayed to grade the tests, which came back a little more pitiful than she would have liked. Before she could finish up for the day, Bobby Finstock the Lacrosse coach came into her office.

**"****Hi I'm Bobby, I'm the lacrosse coach here I was wondering if we can talk about some of the students in your class? Like Scott, Kira and Stilinski." Coach said looking completely wrecked; honestly if he looked like this sober I never wanted to see him fall of the wagon. I knew why he wanted to talk; the other teachers had told me at lunch that he took a special interest in his players' grades.**

**"****Mr. Flinstock, I believe the students you just mentioned are also part of your Lacrosse team, am I correct?" I said looking down my nose as I stood to organize****my desk and smack a few papers in order.**

**"****Ah, yes, yes you're correct. Look these kids aren't good at school stuff but they are good at Lacrosse. So I think you should just…" Coach began saying but I cut him off. **

**"****Firstly the fact that you don't think they are good at school just shows that you don't care about them at all which frankly pisses me off; you're their teacher for god sakes! Secondly I will let you know that I do care that they get to enjoy their time here so instead of going easy on your players I intend to help all students with their struggles. Also if you have any students that you think need extra help they are more than welcome to come to my after school homework sessions." I said sitting back in my chair and feeling very much like I had just disciplined a bloody student rather than communicate with a fellow colleague. **

**"****Well…good…I'll make a suggestion right now, a kid named Liam you probably don't have him in your class since he's a freshman but he could definitely do with the help. I'll tell him next practice." Coach said smiling to himself like I hadn't just reprimanded him for not caring about his students. Honestly this man was eccentric to say the least. **

**"****Is that all Mr. Flinstock?" I said wishing he'd leave so I could go home and begin figuring out how to help Deaton's meddling kids. **

**"****Yeah I think so, but do call me Bobby." He said, freaking me out since he said it as if he was about to hit on her. "You know maybe we should go for drinks on Friday celebrate your first week here at Beacon Hills." Coach said hovering by the door, obviously hoping for a good answer, not realizing****I could never deal with such a high strung anxious person. **

**"****I'll have to rain check I'm actually having dinner that night with a friends." I said smiling but on the inside shaking my head in disbelief at what just happened. Technically she hadn't lied outright she was having dinner with a friend, what he didn't know was that friend was also her cat. **


	4. Chapter 4

Between coach hitting on her, her bathroom plumbing bursting and Deaton calling in a panic about his band of misfits new idiotic plan; April was a having a rough night to say the least. She had left her office soon after the Coach had left and headed home. Instead of finding her peaceful home she found the contractors who were supposed to be finished at noon today still in her front lawn. Worst yet they were holding her cat who looked more like a disheveled wet mess rather than a fluffy old cat. Apparently the pipes had burst in the spare bathroom upstairs while the contractors were doing final touch ups and my cat unfortunately got the brunt of the water. So they had turned off the water to April's house and were caring for her cat; at least they did something right. Now if that wasn't enough she had to wait two days for her water to come back on since the pipe was in back order! She called Deaton to ask if he could keep her cat at the clinic for a day or two so she wouldn't have to worry about him while she stayed at the house with no water. When she had called Deaton for the favor however he was in a fretfully bad mood, and honestly April couldn't blame him. The lovely bunch of idiots she was supposed to protect had decided to basically kill Scott and then bring him back to life! What bloody idiots! April was unbelievably irritated to say the least she thought she could at least get on full day in before these adolescents did something outrageously stupid!

** "****Deaton, what the bloody hell have you gotten me into?" I yelled as I entered the closed clinic, letting my cat free as he squirmed in my arms.**

** "****Hello April, nice to see you survived your first day at school. Would you be so kind to lower your voice there are animals who aren't good with your loud voice." Deaton said in his annoyingly calm voice. "I'd like you to meet someone; this is Noshiko Yukimura, Kira's mother." Deaton said as Mrs. Yukimura stepped out from the corner.**

**"****Pleasure to meet you Mrs. Yukimura; it's an honor to meet such a prestigious Kitsune." I said bowing my head in recognition to her prominence in the supernatural world. **

**"****Thank you, I wish we could have met under different circumstances your family is quite honorary as well." She said smiling, while I didn't agree with the word honorary to describe my family I wasn't about to waste our time discussing them either. **

**"****Deaton you told me Scott was about to do something dangerous, although that doesn't surprise me I did hope to have at least one full day without idiotic plans." I said with obvious irritation on my voice, I hated stupidity but mostly I hate being unprepared for it. **

**"****Yes, Kira as you know is a Thunder Kitsune, and with the aid of Noshiko they will slow his heart to a death like state. They plan on getting the benefactor to show up to collect the body and therefor figuring out who is hunting the supernatural in this town." Deaton said as he pulled out floor plans of the Beacon Hill hospital and placed them on the steel table of his office. "We need you to protect Scott's body while it's in the morgue." Deaton finished as he pointed to where the morgue of the hospital was on the blueprints.**

**"****Not that this isn't all fascinating and it isn't a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Yukimura; but wasn't I supposed to be the unknown protector of this pack? Key word here, being UNKNOWN! You know so I could be their last form of defense kind of thing?" I said losing some of my emotional control with all the frustration of the last hour. **

**"****Yes, and I won't say anything to my daughter and her friends. I believe this would be best which is why I'm bringing you to the hospital with the intention of a school internship program we have planned. Thus your presence at the hospital doesn't look suspicious." She said her face only showing a hint of the same frustration I felt for the deathly danger of this plan. **

**"****Alright, you'll have to brief me on this internship program after just in case I run into the students; for now let's focus on how to keep Scott as safe as possible. " I said looking at Deaton who only nodded then bent to look at the blue prints.**

Forty five minutes later Noshiko Yukimura had left to help Kira while April had returned to her home to retrieve her things and to change out of her skirt; although it was her favorite skirt kicking anyone above the ankle would be impossible in it. She went to her basement and opened the vault to her weapon and fighting gear. If anyone found this stuff she'd be in prison before she could say "shit". April had put on dark gray jeans, a tight fitted white tank top and a front zip jacket that was tough enough to resist punctures and slices; it also looked light enough to be a light fall jacket that no one would question. She also had one gun attached at the ankle but more importantly she had her throwing knives attached to her harness which was wrapped behind her back and underneath her jacket; if anyone looked at her she was just a normal civilian which is exactly how April wanted it. Before April left for the hospital she dipped her knives in wolfs bane and a concoction of other herbs and toxins that would help weaken any foe she came across; April could only smile at herself she had an underground lair, all she needed next was a mask and they'd be calling her Batgirl!

April left for the hospital and went to the administrative office as Deaton and she had planned earlier. They devised that sticking to the truth as much as possible was their best option for keeping a low profile; so she went in and for an hour she had discussed an internship program with the hospital, all while trying to hide her growing anxiety for the well-being of the very students they had been talking about. Despite the fact that this program was only a ruse for April to get in the hospital she had to admit it could actually work so she decided to visit the hospital on another occasion to make everything official. As she was leaving the last office she heard a scream that could only be described as sheer pain…it was Melissa McCall's voice and she knew then that her job had begun. Scott's life was officially in danger as were the rest of the people in this hospital. She quickly made her way through back staircases and doctor only halls to the morgue where at this very moment everyone had gone to their separate rendezvous locations leaving only April to guard the door. It was funny she actually had gotten to the morgue as everyone dispersed, and she realized that despite the stupid plan these kids (actually young adults) worked with almost the same efficiency as those in a military operation; these were people who knew the consequences if anything went wrong.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: So her weapons include many things but April's favourite are her Thermo blades which are kind of like the weapon Violet the assassin uses; but instead of a Thermo-cut wire in season 4. They are long thin blades similar to these viking blades and they will have a back story later or so I hope. ( . ) _

_This chapter was short and lacking dialogue, I know but trust me it was just a filler chapter so you'd know what happened. Hope you like it and feel free to review politely :) _

April scurried around the corner when she realized everyone had finally left the morgue, she hoped Deaton had made the loop for the camera that was facing the morgue. She didn't need anyone thinking she was the Benefactor especially when she was in actual fact trying to protect Scott from that very individual; it'd only complicate a very intricate plan that at its formation was on the cusp of disaster. April took her purse and laid it on the floor, she had brought trip bombs filled with wolfs bane and mountain ash to seal off the morgue from other supernatural creatures. As April finished setting up her defense around the morgue she went up a floor to set up more traps that's when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up; someone was behind her.

April turned to see a Berserker breathing down her neck, literally. She barely held back a scream; it wasn't that she'd never seen a Berserker before but she wasn't exactly expecting one to come out of nowhere either. She gathered her thoughts in seconds and then observed him as he did her. It was two predators circling each other, and she just happened to be half its size. She bent and grabbed her weapon holstered at her ankle; her pistol was loaded with wolfs bane bullets which would slow the Berserker down and give her a chance to kill it. She shot an entire clip at both arms knowing the armor wasn't as thick; It bore down upon her in sheer rage while swiping at her head; April slipped between his legs and drew her knives cutting at the Berserkers femoral artery (for Berserkers where once people and although they gained an animal like ferocity underneath their armor they could still bleed). She thought she was doing well against the one Berserker, till it howled in anger and others growled from the hall she was about to escape to. April had taken a few Berserkers down in her past thanks to her deranged family but usually it was one at a time; not three!

If April could get to the morgue doors she could set off the traps and kills these suckers or at least subdue them long enough to get Scott's body out. She was a good fighter, she was confident in her skills but she also knew the odds were stacked impossibly high against her. April stood in the corner of two empty hallways with only crazy evil creatures and flickering lights to keep her company; she wouldn't be going done without a fight. She gathered all her rage, fear and centered herself and then looked for the best way to survive; she always survived. She looked down the hall saw two locked empty gurneys positioned fairly ahead of the two Berserkers and decided jumping on one of them then the wall fast enough she might just be quick and startling enough that she could escape them; if the Berserkers were only close enough to them. Guess taunting the big bad wolf it is.

** "****Hey uglies come and get me!" April screamed as I threw a smoke bomb of mountain ash at the injured Berserker and then waited for the other two to be in the perfect position to outmaneuver them. **

As if the world slowed, the two Berserkers ran towards her simultaneously April waited for the perfect moment to jump, run and dodge; like the life and death game of dodge ball, except instead of balls they were ancient bear mass murderers! She sprung at the exact moment necessary, jumping the gurney and hitting the wall precisely where she needed to; only the one saw it and clawed her side deep enough to cut through her slight armor and probably breaking a rib while he tore through her skin like melted butter. She screamed feeling white hot pain in her abdomen. She couldn't stop though and she knew it. She ran towards the stairs knowing at least one of the Berserkers was close behind. Clutching her side she whipped around the corner and instead of making it too the stairs she ran into the supply closet; in her hurt haze she missed the stairwell doors and was in the room where Stiles was supposed to be. She knew it was that room since 3 laptops sat on the bed hospital cameras up, she almost keeled over from loss of blood, and she knew she had to stop the bleeding if she was to survive. The Berserker passed the door and seemed to be looking at something new; she just hoped it wasn't new prey. Three minutes till Scott needed to be revived and she was bleeding on the floor. April removed her hand to see the damage; it was a mistake blood gushed from the wound and more importantly she could feel the dizziness starting to spin the room. She looked at the room and saw alcohol and gauze, she grabbed the bottle and pulled the cap off pouring it on her wounds as she grabbed for the gauze; she almost blacked out from the burning pain she had self-inflicted with the alcohol and one of her thermo blades which would stanch some of the bleeding. Not worrying about the pain she pushed passed it and grabbed as much gauze as she could she and put pressure to her wound then grabbed the tensor bandage she found on the cart and wrapped her ribs; it would have to do.

A minute left till Scott needed to be awakened and April snuck a peek out the door, and she instantly knew she was going out again; for out there was Melissa McCall clutching a bleeding Noshiko Yukimura. April's adrenaline picked up, she had to protect these women, not only because she respected them but their children would not survive their loss. The Berserker was about to attack them, when she charged with every strength she could summon. She grabbed her thermo blades from her back and jumped the Berserker from behind cleanly slicing its head off, the body crumbling to the ground. She almost collapsed on top of Melissa who was in shock. April didn't have time to explain though, there was always one rule in her past; always burn the bodies of Berserkers making sure they never survive. She pushed the body to the room beside her and poured cleaner she found down the hall on top of the body and threw her lighter on the body closing the door behind her. Melissa was screaming for help all whilst she was cleaning up the body and although Melissa McCall was giving her a death stares as a doctor came to help Noshiko. April bent to Melissa's ear whispering only to not tell the kids and to come see her tomorrow after school and she'd explain everything.

April left limping down the corridor picking up her stuff from the morgue and leaving the hospital as if she was never there. April had one motive get to Deaton's office so he could help heal her up it might have been less conspicuous going to his home, but one thing about druids is that no matter how much they trust you; you will never see their home. April drove to the clinic almost purely on memory alone for her body screamed for sleep, it's a miracle she made it their without crashing. She got out of her truck only making it to the front door, the last thing she remembered before blacking out was the chimes of the door.


	6. Chapter 6

There was mumbling in the distance, like someone was talking underwater. April felt like she was under muddy water, able to hear one or two key words around her but unable to see and or think properly; she was in and out of consciousness she knew logically at that moment she needed to wake up but couldn't get herself to awaken. She dreamed of the past mostly, she dreamed of nightmarish memories all while feeling like her body was on fire. April fought her way out of the fog to see blaring light she groaned at it, it was like waking up with the worst hangover in the world (or so she figured not having one herself) with a spotlight on you; she wasn't too far off. As April groaned Deaton was immediately at her side stopping her from getting up by grasping her forearms to the steel table. He was trying to talk to her but her head was pounding too loud for her to comprehend. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again adjusting to the blaring light and sound; it came back like a tidal wave.

**"****APRIL STAY STILL! YOU'LL RIP YOUR STITCHES! HONESTLY I SAID PROTECT THE KIDS NOT KILL YOURSELF!" Deaton yelled, shocking the hell out of me; not only because my head was pounding like snare drums but because the last time he yelled with such passion was at her family and pack.**

**"****Wa….water" I croaked out feeling like my throat was filled with hot pieces of coal. **

**"****Here, April. Just promise to stay still." Deaton said as he went to grab a glass for me, he gingerly placed it to my lips and I sucked backed the water as if I had walked the dessert for miles. **

**"****Alan, I need to sit up." I said lifting my hand for him to give me some helping strength, despite the searing pain in my side and the wires and tubes in my body. **

**"****Careful, I patched up your side and gave you a transfusion but you still have slight internal bleeding and two cracked ribs, plus a concussion from when you fell through my door." Deaton said as he sat me up and making sure I gathered my senses to stop the world from spinning. **

**"****Fuck! If this is what a hangover feels like I'm glad I can't get one!" I said groaning as I lifted my arm lightly to my head and hearing Deaton chuckle. "What time is it?" I asked closing my eyes and rubbing them.**

**"****About 2 am, you were out for about 3 hours. I was getting alarmingly worried when you began moving and yet remained unconscious. You nearly threw yourself off my surgical table." Deaton said glaring at me like I had control of my unconscious behaviour. **

**"****I'm sorry Alan, I didn't mean to worry you, nor did I mean to literally fall through your door or let Melissa McCall see me fight a Berserker; unfortunately I didn't have much choice in the matter." I said taking pills he had handed me and swallowing them. **

**"****Those will help make sure you don't get an infection, I'm sorry I can't do any more for you. I'm used to dealing with people who heal for themselves as you know. At least you didn't break my door but we will have to talk with Ms. McCall." Deaton said sighing as he leaned against the counter. **

**"****I'm fine Alan; you know I can handle my fair share of pain. We both know this isn't the worst injuries I've sustained." I said smiling trying to ease the worry lines between his brows, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. **

**"****That's not the point! I am putting you in danger what kind of friend does that?" Deaton said his voice fierce with emotions but I cut him off before he could feel guilty, he was my most dear friend I'd do anything for him.**

**"****Alan Deaton, you listen here! I owe you my life and I am your friend and you needed help; nothing more and nothing less. You once told me "one loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives" so what are a few broken ribs between friends; right?" I said chuckling then groaning as my ribs creaked with my own laughter. **

**"****You are a uniquely bright individual April Managarm." Deaton said with intensity but then shaking his head and letting his voice and demeanor drop into his usual calm and sensible self. **

**"****Alright, well let's get these wires and tubes off me so I can get home then go to class with a bunch of hormonal werewolves!" I said lifting my arm where there had obviously been a transfusion of blood of blood IV and one for fluids. **

**"****You will need to take it easy over the next few days, as you know but we do need to keep your cover of teacher so first things first text Melissa when you get home, she'll need to be looped in on who you are. Secondly these are antibiotics you need to take over the next few days so take them every morning, now let's get you home." Deaton said as he removed the IV from my hand and I winced; for some reason IV's always freaked me out. **

**"****Fine, let's go." I said slipping off the table and wincing at the sudden urge to crumple to the floor instead of taking the next step. **

April leaned on Deaton till she got to the passenger seat of her truck; she managed to get in all by herself. The air was filled with the sound of her muffled curses all the way to her house, the bumpy drive and her fresh wounds killed! She tried to ignore it by leaning her head against the cool window and watching the trees pass by. She fell into a half reverie of when she had first met Deaton. She must have been five or so when she had first met him, and they had instantly hit it off to her father's dismay. April's father hated that Deaton taught her of a world different from her families and more importantly that she was worth something. Deaton wasn't their family's Druid Emissary but he was an honoured guest for their family and his had written The Canadian Peace Treaty for werewolves 500 years ago; and had been formal friends ever since. It was Deaton's cousin Marcus who was April's family Druid Emissary and he was nothing like Deaton; he was cold and callous and cared only for himself and the power he had by being the Ultimate Alphas (April's father), left hand man. Her father was the Ultimate Alpha, for he controlled born alphas and most other packs he oozed power, but April was used to it since her older brothers were exactly the same. Her father was the definition of control issues add that with radical belief in tradition it's amazing April survived mentally. Deaton had always been a gasp of fresh air when he visited he was the father figure April yearned for but also the fun uncle she needed to keep light.

Ten years ago she had been utterly loyal to her family no matter how she was treated by them she'd have laid her life down for them. She was treated differently than anyone else her entire life; for being something she had no control over, a Runt. Her family hated the disgrace her birth had brought upon the Managarm line for their line hadn't been tainted by her kind in over a millennium. Her family was basically royalty within the werewolf community at least those who still know of them; they are the Ultimate Alphas. Historically Runts were killed in the womb before they could even be born; but she survived, she always survived. She was saved only by the fact that she had a twin who was a werewolf. April's mother was pregnant with twins, rare in her family's case but even rarer that one was genetically a werewolf and the other a Runt. Her father wanted to take April out of womb before the "abomination" could disgrace the family but he couldn't for they'd risk the death of her brother.

Eight months into the pregnancy her mother was attacked by stray Berserkers out on the hunt the trauma she received was too severe to save her unborn brother. April had barely survived the attack and after her father had heard of her brother's death he was on a rampage to kill her as well; he was only stopped by her mother's dying wish; to let at least one of her children remain. April was saved by her mother's mercy and the fact that her father would do anything for his mate. As predicted April was born a Runt, however she was slightly stronger than average; the doctor's said it was because she shared the womb with her brother who was a full blooded werewolf. So April lived to serve her family and the pack, she took abuse for no one stopped it unless it interfered with her training which her father forced upon her to make her less of a burden. She did succeed at becoming strong and tough enough to be allowed the privilege of honorary member of the pack when she was 16. They only had one rule for April; no children EVER. April was fine with that till she met Robert when she was 18.

Robert Sigurdsson was a 19 year old boy from a Vancouver pack who had many of the same descendants but did not keep to the old ways. They were modern in comparison to her traditionally strict pack. He was 6 foot with sandy brown curls and the softest brown eyes April had ever seen. They were in love instantly and it was forbidden to her by Marcus since although she was accepted by her own pack she could never truly be a part of a werewolf pack. April tried to stay away from Robert, being the ever obedient daughter but Robert didn't care that she was a Runt saying "the only pack he would ever need was her". It was puppy love her father later tried to tell her; but April knew differently as did Marcus their Druid Emissary. Marcus knew that although April was a runt she still had the same characteristics as a werewolf including mates, and that if her father had known he might have been lenient with their love. Months later after Robert had left to go home she discovered she was pregnant and it was the only time she had disobeyed her family for the love of her mate.

She found Robert within a week and they decided to run off together; news however spread like wildfire of her disobedience and her father's lack of control…his inability to control his pack made him feel weak and drove him to the brink of his already power hungry nature. Marcus April's fathers loyal servant, told Deaton of April and Robert's betrayal but told him a lie that they had killed another pack member breaking the old peace treaty of Canadian packs. It wasn't till Deaton had found April four months pregnant that he discovered he had been deceived by Marcus who had tracked Deaton to April. Robert and she were dragged back to April's father, while Deaton was held captive for three days by Marcus and April's pack members. Deaton finally escaped and killed Marcus; he summoned the entire clan of Druids who created The Canadian Peace Treaty from 500 years ago bringing balance in the great north. The Druids and Robert's pack rescued her but it was too late; April had already watched her father and his loyal lackeys kill her mate as they tortured her till she lost the baby.

April was given a sum of money from the pack and was to be left in peace for the remainder of her life to compensate for the treacherous behaviour of her father. The Druids had kept the peace with the execution of her father and the replacement of his rule by her older brother Erik and a female werewolf from the Vancouver pack Erik said he was never aware of her father's madness (or so he says). April was not the one to deliver her father's execution but she did tell them how she would like to see him suffer; she wanted the pack to enact an ancient execution for mate killers; he was to be torn apart limb by limb by his own pack members. To this day she has nightmares of the pain he had inflicted upon her and once a year she cries herself to sleep for the loss of a mate; but the worst dreams of all are the ones where she has it all, a happy family with Robert.

**"****April! April, we're here." Deaton said rubbing my arm lightly and shaking me out of my haunted memories. **

**"****Sorry, must have dozed off, thanks for the ride. You can drive my truck back I'll grab a cab to your clinic in the morning and grab the keys before school starts; or I guess in a few hours. It's going to be a long day tomorrow." I said yawning and getting out of the passenger seat slowly. **

** "****You can always call in sick; it's a perk of being a teacher you know." Deaton said smiling as I grabbed the bag Deaton had put my weapons in from the bed of my truck. **

** "****You're one to talk Deaton I'm pretty sure you had "retired" from druid business, and look how that's gone. So practice what your preach old man!" I said grinning but then suddenly frowned as I heard a car pull up behind my truck; I could so not deal with any more surprises tonight! **

** "****It's Ms. McCall; do you want me to stay?" Deaton said looking in the rear view mirror of the truck looking into Melissa's car windshield then back at me. **

** "****No, go I'll be fine; go get some sleep old one!" I said shaking my head since Deaton just scowled and drove out of the drive way. He really wasn't one for a lot of words, I turned to see Melissa getting out of the car with…was that a baseball bat?**

** "****Melissa as much as I like baseball I don't think I'm up to playing right now, nor do I think I could lift it for that matter." I said sarcastically doing my best to not laugh at her idiotic bravery. **

** "****Who are you? No, better question what are you?" Melissa said coming to the front of her car still carrying the bat. **

** "****Look Melissa you obviously trust me enough to not have told Scott already and seeing how you are on my driveway only armed with a baseball bat can we just go inside and talk? I promise I'm not going to hurt you, but I might collapse if I stand too much longer; I'll explain everything." I said as I barely held on to my weapons bag and knew I was swaying slightly more since we had begun talking only moments ago. **

** "****Well, fuck." Melissa said sighing as she saw that I was obviously not in any condition to be standing up never mind standing this long out in the cold of the night (or at least cold for California). **

** "****I think that can sum up our night quite nicely. Come on let's go get some tea." I said as I dragged my bag to my front door and punched in the code to get in. Melissa was obviously hesitant to come in so I decided to help her feel safe; grabbing the gun in the secret compartment of the hall table by the door I turned to give it to Melissa.**

**"****So much for not hurting me, bitch!" Melissa said putting her hands up, I shook my head so much for that plan I thought. **

**"****I'm giving you the gun, not shooting you…have you never watched TV the barrel is where the bullet comes out of…not the handle, just thought you'd be able to trust me more if you were armed." I said chuckling then gasping and grasping the door jamb fiercely as my ribs seared with hot pain. **

**"****Jesus, are you alright?" Melissa said dropping the bat on the porch and coming to my side grabbing the bag from my hand and rubbing my back which was meant as a comforting gesture; although to me it just made me want to tough it out and walk off the pain…I was seriously messed up. **

**"****Yeah I've had worse, just keep forgetting that laughing with two broken ribs isn't much fun!" I said seeing her face scrunch in confusion as a reaction to my tenseness. I handed her the gun; I was trying to show her I could be trusted but it seemed I still had much to learn in the trust department myself. **

**"****I don't know how to shoot; so giving me that, I'm liable to shoot my own foot! You're barely awake, so let's get us that tea; what do you say?" Melissa said giving me her best motherly smile, and for once I let someone help me. **

**"****Yeah, do you mind if I get changed first?" I asked trying to gather my strength as I looked at the stairs like they were Mount Everest. **

**"****I know where the kettle is, you sure you can make it?" Melissa asked looking at me then the stairs. **

**"****I'll be fine." I said abruptly and then headed up the stairs; it took me much longer to get up them than I had anticipated. **

April got up to her room, and stripped her clothes as carefully as possible trying not to rip bandages or stretch her ribs. Ten minutes later she was changed in track pants and a sweatshirt. Thankfully April had made a last minute decision to grab her outfit for work before going downstairs, one trip up and down would be plenty in the next few hours. She walked down the stairs as gently as she could muster and managed to not gasp out once in pain; she was quite proud of herself. She went into the kitchen only to see the kettle wasn't on, that's when she realized her water was turned off.

**"****I don't know what's up with your water but I found a bottle of wine in the fridge and figured it would work just as well as tea." Melissa said coming from the dining room where April stored her wine cooler and glasses.**

**"****Yeah I completely forgot I'm without water for the next day, since my bathroom pipe burst. Just add it to my day." I said shaking my head and taking one of the freshly poured glasses of wine. **

**"****I should probably eat with this, leftover cake work for you?" I said pulling out two forks from my kitchen drawer and pulling the cake stand so it sat in the middle of the two of us. **

**"****Chocolate sounds good right about now." Melissa said taking the fork and digging in. We both ate a few bites and sipped our wine both just taking a moment to gather our thoughts and mostly unwind from the craziness of the last few hours. **

**"****My roommate use to say moderation in all things but chocolate…and I got to agree chocolate should always be eaten in enormous sums." I said breaking the silence and earning a smile from the woman across from me. **

**"****Seems like a good saying to me…thank you by the way, I guess I should have said it earlier but I was too shocked to do it." Melissa said smiling than looking down and eating another bite.**

**"****You were a little busy with keeping Noshiko alive, I get it don't worry. Look I meant it when I said I would never hurt you, I don't hurt innocent people and I'm here on behalf of Deaton. He asked me to come as an extra safety net; it's why I don't want your son and his friends to know about me." I said sighing for I was enjoying the silence of earlier but knowing I had to explain. **

**"****Did you know who I was when you bought my groceries the other day? Was it all some kind of ruse?" Melissa said sounding betrayed and hurt. **

**"****I didn't know who you were when I bought the grocery's that was just happy coincidence, I swear. I only figured it out when you told me your last name and started to talk about Scott. I truly do wish to be your friend Melissa, I just also happen to be here to help your kid. Look Dr. Deaton is leaving town to figure out what's wrong with Derek, he knew when the dead pool came out that the kids would need the extra protection from assassins and such so he called me to help out; he's my dearest friend and basically my uncle so I agreed; being a teacher just helps so no one knows about me. I'm there last form of defense against everything, I'm the surprise attack that might let them live until the next day." I said grabbing her hand and squeezing lightly hoping my sincerity to help would flow through my body to hers. **

**"****So what are you then? A werewolf? I'm new at this supernatural crap but don't your eyes have glow when you use your strength?" Melissa said taking her hand out of my grasp and running it through her hair out of frustration. **

**"****Yes, werewolf's eyes glow, but I'm not a werewolf. I have faster reflexes than you, and I way more strength but nothing compared to that of a werewolf; I come from an ancient Viking werewolf family, and they are born alphas…well except for a few abominations as my father called me. I'm a Runt, I'm genetically human but just with extra boosts per say." I said trying to sum up what I was as simply as possible, Melissa still looked confused but I would let her ask the questions. **

**"****So let me get this straight your human, but like super strong and fast. Yet you can't out power a werewolf…Is that correct?" Melissa said as I nodded. "Well how the hell did you defeat that thing, not even Scott has been able to!" she screeched out. **

**"****Firstly I was born in a family that literally from the time I could walk, I could also fight. They raised me to be able to keep up with them and not only that but kill those things, for they aren't natural. Berserkers have no control it's like a dog with rabies, out of control and needing to be put down." I said trying to make her understand that I am lethal just not in the same way her son was. **

**"****So let me get this straight you're a lethal assassin who teaches English…" Melissa said raising one eyebrow in either awe or complete disbelief (I was going with disbelief on this one).**

**"****History too" I said smirking and getting an eye roll in response. "I guess you could call me an assassin, I did hunt Berserkers as a teen; I captured them and killed them with my family and sometimes alone, but they were usually subdued or in an environment I controlled. Earlier today that was 80% luck and circumstance that I was able to sneak up behind that thing. The reason I'm injured is because I had been cornered by three Berserkers and the only difference between you and Noshiko laying in the hall and me was training and years of torturous conditioning on my father's behalf." I said looking up to see Melissa looking at me with pity. **

**"****I'm not telling you this to make you feel sorry for me or to think I'm less dangerous because of what I went through I'm telling you this so you understand I don't choose to be an assassin as you say or a killer. I was bred this way, it's in my nature. On the other hand I have lost those I loved long ago and it made me change that path, it's why I learned about history, so I wouldn't repeat it. I learned English so I could understand literature and people better, so it wouldn't be easy for me to take life again, even if I'm good at it. Teaching is just my way to be around kids and treating them differently than how I was raised." I said taking a sip of my wine to calm my emotions and take the edge of the pain off. **

**"****So you're here to help, I can't believe I'm saying this after the year I've had but I trust you. I don't know why, but I do and if Deaton trusts you it only validates my opinion." Melissa said getting up and coming around the bar making me wonder what she had planned but making myself stay still.**

**"****Now I would ask more about your past and your family but right now the nurse in me is taking over and she saying you need some rest. Let's go." Melissa said offering me her hand, I realized this was her way of showing me trust; so I took it. **


	7. Chapter 7

April woke up from the couch with a groan; she had fallen asleep almost instantly when Melissa brought her to her own couch but did manage to tell Melissa she was welcome to stay in one of the guest bedrooms instead of driving home after the wine. Melissa tried to refuse, but April insisted saying she'd rather not have Scott after her because she got his mom drunk and let her drive home. She didn't even see Melissa walk up the stairs before her eyes closed to the darkness, thankfully her alarm was still set on her phone and that's what startled her out of her sleep this morning. She stretched lightly and rolled her neck from the kink. April got up and went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water than proceeding to go to the downstairs bathroom and change her bandages to clean ones. It was 7 am and she had about 3 and half hours of uninterrupted sleep; it wasn't ideal but she had worked on less. April checked her phone and texted Deaton saying she had survived the night and she'd pick up her truck after school so to just leave the keys in the console and she'd grab them with her spare set. She heard Melissa stir upstairs, she wasn't sure if she should wake her up but also didn't want to climb the stairs either; so she texted Melissa asking if she wanted any breakfast and that if she needed a change of clothes she was welcome to her closet. April grabbed some eggs and made an omelet for herself and Melissa, after receiving a reply from the top of the stairs saying she was starving.

**"****Okay, how is it you look like that and I look as if I haven't slept in weeks? Honestly what face cream do you use?" Melissa asked groaning with envy as she came into the kitchen**.

**"****Well firstly great genetics helps; the whole Runt thing has its benefits you know." I said winking at her while plating our breakfast.**

** "****Okay where the hell do I sign up then?" Melissa said as she slumped in what I would now call her seat at the bar. **

** "****Trust me it has a lot of draw backs including no healing superfast and trust me I could use it right about now, this bandage was a bitch to cover up! Oh by the way I hope you like eggs, I probably should have asked first but I'm used to cooking for people who usually inhale their food rather than taste it." I said laughing because in truth every person who she had cooked for was a werewolf and they rarely cared what she cooked as long as it smelled good. **

**"****Anything is better than cafeteria food. OH MY GOD this is delicious…mmmmm….you can cook for me any day!" Melissa said through mouthfuls. **

**"****Well glad you like it, you wouldn't be able to give me a lift to work this morning, would you?" I asked thinking that I'd rather not call a cab. **

**"****Sure, so um what am I supposed to tell Scott? I mean I stayed the night here, he's going to ask questions." Melissa said looking up at me, obviously still nervous around the idea of keeping a secret from her only son. **

**"****Tell him the truth, well most of it anyway. I mean say you needed to unwind after everything last night and that you didn't want to drive home after drinking. It's not lying, just skating around the fact that I'm a Runt assassin hired by his veterinarian." I said smiling and winking at her knowing my last sentence was a bit much. **

**"****God; when did my life become so complicated? I thought being a single mom was bad enough!" Melissa groaned laying her head on the counter between her arms. **

**"****If you think your life suck try being a high school teacher and keeping your kids from stupidity! That's what I call a hard life." I said smiling when I got a chuckle out of Melissa. **

** "****Look at it this way, maybe me being here can get you a date….hmmmm…I mean that Chris Argent he is fiiiine." I said laughing at her shocked face.**

** "****Yeah not EVER going there, could you imagine…how did you two meet? Oh my son used to date his dead daughter…yeah soooo not finding a guy; and you are sooooo not setting me up!" Melissa said shaking her head in horror. **

**"****Well I may be looking out for your son but I think my bigger mission will be finding you a date!" I said grinning at her evilly; I could have some fun in this town after all. **

**"****Let's get going before you come up with any more brilliant ideas how to torture me." Melissa said putting the dishes in the dishwasher and grabbing her coat, I followed a little more slowly after still scheming on who I could set Melissa up with. **

Despite the crappy night the two women had, the drive to the High School was surprisingly light and joyful. April couldn't remember the last time she had had a true "girlfriend"; she wondered if she ever did. April knew the day would be rough, not only would Scott's little gang be distraught and moody but she would gradually be more exhausted and pained by each class; especially if she was to act normal. When April began her first class she realised that writing on the chalkboard was too much for her to handle, all that stretching and flexing her side nearly made her pass out; she finally decided maybe making the class do their own work would be best. By the time lunch rolled around April was dead tired. She tried to be her normal self and not let the kids get to her, but teenagers always knew what buttons to push. She had given more detentions in the day than probably she done in all of her teaching career, and if that wasn't enough she only remembered at the last class of the day that she had made a stupid after school study group!

Honestly April really hated her idiotic plan to help these kids more and more as the day passed. To say she was moody was the understatement of the day, more importantly she was hurting and no amount of Tylenol was going to help, she needed on thing alone; sleep. The only shining moment of the day was when Malia Hale came to her and thanked her in their last class of the day for the book they were assigned in English class. It was like a soothing balm, the pure innocent of Malia was a breath of fresh air and that's when she remembered why she did the study group. She went to her office to get all of her materials for the session, so to help the students in any subject they may have needed some help with and then went to the empty classroom to set up.

**"****Excuse me, is this where the Homework Program is being held?" asked Liam the newest member of Scott's pack. **

**"****Yes, it is. Come on in, I don't bite." I said really wanting to add "much" to my sentence as a joke but realising a teacher probably shouldn't say that to a student. **

**"****Oh, well coach said I needed to come so…here I am." Liam said scratching the back of his head awkwardly. **

**"****Ah, yes Liam is it?" I asked even though I already knew who he was but keeping up my façade. **

**"****Yes, I'm sorry I don't know your name." Liam said finally coming into the classroom. **

**"****I'm Ms. Managarm; but please just call me Ms. M. way faster and usually pronounces it wrong anyway." I said smiling as I had given most of my students this speech before. **

**"****Come and sit down, I guess everyone else is late or not showing up but maybe I can help you get your work done quickly enough that you'll be able to get out and enjoy the sun, eh?" I said letting my Canadian accent slip in. **

**"****Well, I've been having trouble with this stupid history project, I mean sorry; just this project on a historical figure we could connect to but I can't find anyone I like or is anything like me." He said sounding a little sad about the prospects.**

**"****Can I ask you something Liam?" I asked as he nodded. "What is it you love? Do you love Lacrosse? Video games perhaps?" I asked seeing his eyes light up with passion for the game he played. **

**"****Lacrosse, I love it. What does that have to do with history?" he said quizzically.**

**"****Simple, sports all have history do they not? A play someone invented or just the game itself perhaps. Why not start there and see if you can't find someone who has the same passion for Lacrosse as you do; plus I think it'd win points with coach too wouldn't it?" I said with a knowing smile as his entire face lit up; sometimes all it took was a little push in the right direction and voila a kid could enjoy school work. **

**"****Thanks, I kept trying to figure out some president that I could relate to but that's a way better idea, can I use the computers back there?" he asked with a little more bounce in his step. I nodded and wondered if these kids truly knew their own potential. **

**"****Ms. M sorry we're late we had…" two students said than stopped as they realised I knew exactly where they had been since I was the one to give them detention that morning.**

**"****Can't blame you for doing as you're told boys, please take a seat and get out any homework you need help with, I'll be right with you." I said smiling as if to say it was all water under the bridge. **

**"****There isn't any other teacher? How are you going to help us with biology?" on student asked, I think his name was Bill, Bob…something like that. **

**"****Well funnily enough I've been through high school and college, so I'm sure I can help you." I said a little more sarcastically than I wanted to; thankfully I was interrupted from further sarcasm when Malia entered the classroom looking anxious and more importantly sad. **

**"****Malia, I'm glad you could make it." I said ignoring the boys hushed whispers of saying I was "PMS"ing, honestly did the male species truly think saying we had PMS would help the matter. **

**"****I would have been here sooner but I ran into my…well yeah sorry." Malia finished not saying who she had met, but I had my suspicions; and those were nearly never wrong. **

**"****Well it's no matter, you're here and that's all that matters; right?" I said smiling and letting her sit down and take out her work while I helped the two other students, Brad and Tim. **

**"****Mrs. M I'm done for now, is it okay if I go?" Liam asked leaving his computer from the back of the class. **

**"****Certainly Liam, this isn't a normal class after all. You can come and go as you please; I'm only here to help. Please don't be a stranger." I said smiling as he left the class and went to sit beside Malia's desk. **

**"****Thanks I won't." Liam said as he left for the day. **

**"****Now Malia, what can I help you with, eh?" I asked as she began biting the end of her pen already anxious about the math problems in front of her. **

**"****I just don't get any of this stuff, why is math so hard for me while so easy for everyone else?!" she said exasperated. **

**"****Well firstly who is this everyone else you're talking about because last I checked math was hard for most people. Secondly stop staring at this book like you are doomed to fail or be less successful than your peers; that won't help you and honestly some things just aren't natural to people. Thirdly I wasn't any good at it either when I was your age, but I was good at English and helping people so here I am." I said smiling and momentarily forgetting my hurt side so I stretched my arms over my head and gasped. **

**"****Ms. M! Are you okay?" Malia jumped from her seat coming to my side. **

**"****I'm fine, fell down the stairs last night and kind of forgot about my bruised ribs is all. Got to love being a klutz" I said waving her off; even though I knew she suspected it was more pain than a bruise. **

**"****Hey Ms. M I'm not too late am I?" Scott said as he came in with Stiles who looked at me than at Malia frowning; I wonder what was going on in his big head of his. **

**"****No not at all, please take a seat and we'll get started; although I do have to ask that we end at five because I need to go home and make dinner." I said walking away from Malia and sitting at my desk rummaging in my purse for more pain pills. **

**"****Um Ms. M can you help me with this equation, actually all of them?" Malia asked looking focused into her textbook. I swallowed my pills and went to her desk. **

An hour passed by quickly and although April was exhausted she was glad to help the students. Although she was getting the sense that Stiles didn't want her to be anywhere near Malia, since he'd always bud in during their discussions, and although she knew he and Malia were having problems April suspected it was more than that. April went to the bathroom at 4 to change her bandages getting suspicious that Scott and Malia might be able to smell her blood but when she returned to the class only Malia was left. Stiles and Scott had left although to be honest Stiles didn't need her help on any homework to begin with; but Malia was slumped in her desk arms crossed and she looked pissed.

**"****Soooo do you want to talk about the fact that I can see smoke coming out of your ears or do you want to dig into my secret stash of chocolate?" I asked Malia, knowing she was on the verge of transforming or coming down from the change; either way she didn't need a transformed teenager in the midst of her classroom. **

**"****What do you mean steam is coming out my ears?" she asked looking confused; obviously not familiar with the saying. **

**"****It means you are seething, angry…emotional. It's not important, what is, is if you want to talk I'm all ears." I said taking out a chocolate bar from my purse and sliding it across the table to her. **

**"****I'd rather have deer…" Malia mumbled under her breath, but I caught it and grinned; I might not have venison in my bag but I did have beef jerky…it was close enough. **

**"****How about beef jerky?" I said passing her the bag, her eyes growing the size of saucers; the girl looked like she hadn't eaten all day the way she looked at the jerky. **

**"****Thanks….Has someone you cared for ever lied to you?" she asked as she pulled the jerky and ate it like it was heavenly. **

**"****I'd like to say they were trying to protect me or some other nonsense but it's not always the case." I said smiling sadly as I never like lying to my students even if it was a hard pill to swallow. **

**"****Look I don't need to know what happened but I'll tell you what I do know. Most times when someone lies it's for three reasons. One they are jerks, two they we're trying to protect themselves, or three they we're trying to protect the person they love. The thing is betrayal is hard no matter what the reason, so I get being mad but ignoring the problem doesn't make it go away no matter how far you run from it; trust me on that much." I said and almost laughed at myself, I was starting to sound like Deaton!**

**"****I know but I can't help being angry and gahhh why is being a teenager so hard!" Malia said finishing the bag of jerky I gave her. **

**"****Oh well that's easy, hormones!" I said chuckling and holding my breath slightly when I heard a chuckle behind me. I heard that tone of voice before…where though? I thought.**

**"****Unfortunately for you you're also a girl, so you probably won't grow out of them." A gravelly voice said behind her; she saw that Malia recognised him and was suddenly very anxious despite her cool exterior. **

**"****I'm sorry but who are you?" I turned putting my hand in the pocket of my dress which held on of my thermal knives. I recognized him instantly; it was the man I had met in the woods.**

**"****What are you doing here, Peter? I said I didn't want to talk to you!" Malia said standing beside me like she was about to protect me; and under the circumstances Malia might be the better option as my side was still mangled and in some serious pain. **

**"****Well I came to pick up my daughter of course, and how did you know I wasn't a teacher here…Ms?" Peter Hale said smirking as he looked between the two of us, her standing antsy while I leaned back on the desk trying to play it cool. He leaned on the door jamb of the classroom if a man could ooze sex and power by just standing; he'd be a puddle. I hated more than anything a jerk who thought he had all the power even if he was good looking.**

**"****It's Ms. Managarm, and teachers wouldn't be caught dead in a V-neck top; I mean we don't try that hard to impress our students." I said smiling and adding as much snarky as I could muster, while also trying to keep my cool in front of the two Hales. **

**"****Hmm so it seems little red has a name. Malia like I said earlier you can't stay on a park bench so I'm taking you home." Peter said smirking at me than smiling sadly at Malia; it threw me for a moment, it almost seemed like genuine concern for his daughter just fluttered across Peter's face. **

**"****I'm sorry but how do you two know each other?" Malia said looking between the two of us. I could tell that threw her more than Peter's presence alone. **

**"****Oh she trespassed across my property last week, isn't that right? Malia let's go!" Peter said his voice not angry but definitely firm, he tilted his head slightly as if trying to egg me on to argue but putting his hand out to direct Malia out. **

**"****Accidental, I can assure you Mr., I'm sorry I didn't catch your name." I said sugary sweetly, smiling as if rainbows were coming out of his mouth rather than his cocky crap and giving Malia a smile. **

**"****His name's Peter Hale; and I can stay wherever I please. Don't think because you're my father you can tell me what to do!" Malia said gathering her things and trying to pass him but he blocked the way with one arm across the doorway. He seemed genuinely concerned about her not staying out at a park bench but then again he was a master manipulator so I was told. **

**"****Get out of my way Peter." Malia growled out clutching her books to her chest, I didn't need to be a werewolf to sense her changing I had enough family history to tell instantly. **

**"****Malia, would you do me a favor; please?" I asked quietly hoping to distract her with my calmness and familiarity by approaching her with a piece of paper I had just written my number on.**

**"****What?" Malia snapped at me. "You want to put me in a nut house like everyone else?" she spat glaring at me but her eyes not yet changing.**

**"****Take my number, if you can't find a friends place to crash at, I'll come pick you up and you can stay in my guest bedroom for the night; alright? Look maybe you can take care of yourself but I'd feel better knowing you had a good night's sleep. Especially when there may be a test tomorrow in History; wouldn't want you to fail now would we?" I said smiling as she took the paper and nodded then she ducked under Peter's arm and vanished down the hallway. **

**"****Well that went well." Peter said so confused it almost made me laugh, you know if he didn't make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I moved to my desk and grabbed my purse my breathing hitching as a stitch pulled at my rib; Peter instantly inspected me like he knew I was injured, at least I had learned long ago to control my breathing so he couldn't tell I was more than slightly nervous.**

**"****Take it from someone who knows Mr. Hale; women don't like to be told what to do; especially by obnoxious men." I said shaking my head at absurdity of the whole situation; here I was giving parenting advice to a guy who tried to kill a bunch of kids not two years ago!**

**"****I'll take that under advisement, here's a little advice for you. Stay away from my daughter." Peter said and then left as fast as he had come, but he went in the opposite direction of Malia; making me a little curious. **

**"****What are you up to…?" I said to myself as I locked up the classroom and finally headed home for the night.**

**"****Hey wait up, there." Coach said scaring the wits out of me. I turned to see him walking down the hall towards me all I thought of was so much for me getting out of here; he seemed on a mission to talk to her all day and she had avoided carefully till now. **

**"****I'm kind of on my way out, is there something I can do for you Bobby?" I said smiling but really just wanting to go home and not deal with anyone. **

**"****I was just heading out myself, thought I'd walk you to your car." He said grinning like an idiot and leading me out to the parking lot. He grabbed me around the waist making me almost cry out, but I held it together by putting my sunglasses on and hiding the tear that fell from my face. **

**"****That's so nice of you." I said through gritted teeth; really just wanting to tell him to fuck off instead. He talked about Independence day for the five minute walk to the car, I was literally on the verge of cutting out his tongue just so he'd shut up already, but then her cover would be blown; Deaton owed her for this one!**

** "****So where did you park?" Bobby asked looking at the few cars parked in the car since everyone else had gone home already.**

**"****It's not here I'm waiting for a…" I was going to bullshit some story so he'd leave, or at least try and get him to leave but he interrupted me and began what I supposed was asking me out but it was more like yelling in my face; I think I'd rather face three Berserkers at this point!**

**"****Hey sorry I'm late, couldn't find my keys." Peter Hale said smiling as if he was prince charming himself. Great what the hell was this all about, I wondered. **

**"****OF COURSE!" Bobby yelled throwing his hands in the air and walking away; apparently he figured I was dating Peter…and honestly if I didn't have to hear him talk anymore I think it'd be a viable option.**

**"****I'm going to hate myself later for saying this, but thank you." I said sighing and closing my eyes in relief.**

**"****Well can't have anyone else trying to eat you, now can I?" Peter said smirking in a devilishly handsome way; well shit if that wasn't an innuendo; I didn't know what was. He laughed than drove off leaving me shell shocked and wondering what the hell game he was playing.**

April didn't even get a chance to respond to his remark only walk towards the cab she had called earlier and mumble some directions. When she got to her truck she paid the cabby and saw a note on her truck. It was from Deaton telling her to take her meds and that he had left to do research for Derek. April would now be on her own to deal with these crazy kids and far more worrisome a dead pool! She sped a little getting home but honestly she wanted her bed; and she wanted it now. The minute she got home she saw the contractors packing up and she was nervous to hear what they had to say since usually a late contractor was bad news bears. April got out of the truck but was surprised to be greeted with great news; they not got the part early they managed to finish all their work today so the house was all hers. She thanked the guys profusely and told them she'd tell others of their great service. April got into the house glared at her stairs like they were her worst enemy and at this point they would be but continued to her kitchen to find something to eat. She threw in a casserole and decided to take a shower; it hurt like a bitch but being clean and having the hot water relax her muscles was worth it. She ate half the casserole than put the rest of it in the fridge when she heard her phone ring; she hoped it was a telemarketer because she really couldn't deal with any supernatural craziness at the moment.


	8. Chapter 8

The phone rang and April seriously considered leaving the world to whatever apocalypse it was going through and just sitting down with a good book till she fell asleep; unfortunately for her she grabbed it on instinct and answered it. She didn't recognise the voice at first but the manner in which she spoke it was obviously Malia for the first word out of her mouth was "I need a place to stay" instead of hello. April asked if she needed to be picked up but Malia said she could find her way there if she had the address, so April gave it to her and asked if she'd like dinner; which she did since Malia basically drooled at the mention of food. April took the half eaten casserole and threw it back into the oven to reheat while also getting out the ice cream. Ever since she was a kid April liked her ice cream soft so 10 minutes before she'd eat it she'd put it into the fridge so it'd get warm enough to be the perfect consistency and not a puddle of goo. April whipped up a box of brownies and switched it for the casserole just in time to hear her door bell ring.

**"****Hi Ms. M; thanks for letting me stay the night." Malia said awkwardly standing at the door, not that I blamed her staying at a teachers house you hardly knew probably wasn't exactly normal. **

** "****Hi Malia, and please call me April while you're staying here. Come on in and make yourself comfortable I just took out the casserole." I said smiling as I ushered inside. **

** "****It smells good; wow your house is huge! Way bigger than Stiles'." Malia said entering the living room and spinning to look around the house.**

** "****Well let's get you fed then I'll give you a tour after, sound good?" I said smiling at Malia and showing her to my kitchen and where the food was. **

** "****So Malia not to sound like a teacher but did you get all that math homework done?" I said breaking the awkward silence that had crept up as I served her dinner. **

** "****Nooooo! I tried to get it done but Stiles kept calling me, why are boys so stupid?" Malia said through mouthfuls of food making me laugh at the fact that she may have lived as a coyote for years but she was definitely still a teenager.**

** "****Well firstly Stiles is a guy so they are bound to screw up and secondly I've seen Stiles' work he's smart for a boy his age so maybe give him some slack; good guys are hard to come by, trust me." I said wondering if maybe there was a way I could get these two to work through their issues. **

** "****Yeah well I don't have much practice in forgiveness…but yeah maybe. God! I'm not good at these relationship things!" Malia said with a huff as she pushed her empty plate away.**

** "****No one is, but I know one thing that can help." I said smirking as I pulled two Ben and Jerry's ice cream cartons out of the fridge and grabbed a spoon for each of us. **

** "****Ice cream is the best medicine for these kinds of things and better yet it helps ease the pain of doing math." I said laughing at her groan at the mention of math. **

** "****I thought Stiles was bad making me do my homework!" She said smirking herself as she grabbed her bag and pulled out the books. **

** "****Let's sit on the couch, it's more comfortable and honestly I might fall asleep on you if we stay here." I said although that was the truth it was also so I could sit without pain from my ribs. **

It's funny how some people just connect, they can be complete opposites or from completely different backgrounds but somehow they fit together like two puzzle pieces; Malia and April got along like peanut butter and jelly. They finished her math homework in record time according to Malia and April was so happy to be of help not only because Malia was so appreciative but also because April could genuinely see Malia's improvement. They had discussed movies and TV, Malia had obviously been influenced by Stiles' favourites but April could see that Malia was gaining her own sense of self in her dislike and likes; which to April was fascinating on how well Malia was adjusting back to human life. Although Malia kept some of her secrets she did discuss how she felt about finding out about her biological parents, or rather biological father. The reason she was so upset was because she didn't want to become like Peter Hale but she was curious about him and his life and in all honesty so was April. When ten-o-clock rolled around April despite her best efforts to keep up with the young girl was utterly zonked and decided to call it a night. She showed Malia to the guest room that Melissa hadn't slept in since April hadn't had the time to even clean it up so Malia slept in the room across from her own. When Malia was settles April put her house in lockdown by locking her secret basement, making April feel a little like Batman with a secret bat-cave; however it would have raised too many unexplainable questions if Malia found out about it. When April had finally finished cleaning up she gathered her strength and tackled the stairs, she was seriously considering putting in an elevator by the end. When April got into her room she hadn't even bothered to changed she curled into her bed turned on her alarm and passed out.

** "****Malia, it's time to get up for school." I said as I walked past her room knocking on the door and then heading down the stairs. I felt ten times better than I did yesterday so I decided to celebrate my good mood and my healing side with chocolate chip pancakes. **

** "****Ughhhhh!" Malia groaned from the bedroom making me chuckle knowing exactly how she felt because before my shower I was seriously considering staying in bed all day. **

** "****If you get up now I'll make pancakes!" I yelled as I walked down the stairs without wincing for the first time in two days. **

** "****I'm up, I'm up!" Malia grumbled and I smiled and headed to the kitchen to make pancakes. **

As April got started on the pancakes she heard the shower come on and decided to grab her bag and stock up on weapons while Malia was occupied. She wrapped her torso with a Velcro tensor which also had a place for her thermo blades; she placed wolfs bane mase in her purse along with her Taser. April kept a wary ear out for the shower and as she heard it shut off she threw her blouse and blazer back on. She locked up her weapons cabinet in the basement and then hurried up to the kitchen where the griddle was now hot enough to make the pancakes. April began frying her pancakes as Malia came down the stairs and plopped down at the island of the kitchen.

**"****You ever made pancakes before?" I asked wondering what kitchen knowledge a girl who lived as a coyote for 8 years had. **

** "****I think I remember making them with my mom, but not since they died; no." Malia said matter-of-factly as though she had simply said the sky was blue. **

** "****Well high time you learn then. Come on I'll show you" I said as she slid from her seat and moved cautiously towards the griddle. **

** "****So pour it like this than what?" Malia said as she scooped the batter and threw it on the griddle making it splatter slightly.**

** "****Well next time a little slower so it doesn't get all over you but otherwise just pour and wait till little bubbles start to form than we flip it." I said as I grabbed plates and cutlery for us to eat with. **

** "****It's bubbling, now just flip right?" Malia said motioning towards the spatula as I nodded and let her figure it out on her own, she may not know basic human practices but she also wasn't a child who needed constant hovering either. **

** "****Yay! I got it!" Malia said clapping and jumping slightly in excitement over her success. **

** "****See not everything is like Math." I said smiling as I grabbed the butter, berries and maple syrup. **

April and Malia drove to school not long after the pancakes were done, Malia headed to her first class while April headed to her office to gather up her things. She went towards her office but her door was plastered with posters for the annual Lacrosse bonfire, really it was an excuse for kids to get drunk and teachers to hate their profession; thank god April wasn't a chaperone to this utter chaos! She found a note on her attendance sheets that there would be a new student in her after lunch English class. April went to her morning classes' with-out any issues not even when she had to write on the board; she was finally healing. When lunch rolled around she decided to eat outside on the bleachers to enjoy the sun, she always enjoyed the days where the sun shined and a cool breeze followed; until she realised the lacrosse team had practice and Bobby found her.

**"****So not eating lunch with your boyfriend?" Bobby said after he had just finished blowing that irritating whistle a half a dozen times. **

** "****Mr. Hale is not my boyfriend; he was just nice enough to offer me a ride since my truck was at a friend's place." I said sighing; if I had said Peter was my boyfriend it'd become a rumor and get back to the smug bastard and now that I said he wasn't it gave Coach here another opportunity to drive her insane. **

** "****Well that's perfect; you know Mr. Smith is sick today so you can be the other chaperone for tonight's big bon fire! I mean we will get the whole evening to chat!" he said excited like a puppy with a new bone to play with. **

** "****Of course, if you'll excuse me I need to get to my class.' I said tidying up my lunch and internally groaning at the prospect of chaperoning a bunch of drunken teenagers. **

April walked to her office in a mood, not only had her nice peaceful lunch been ruined but she was stuck chaperoning a bunch of idiots and it ruined her plan to scope out what was going down in the town. She had planned to investigate the police reports and the historical records on mysterious deaths hoping it might give her something to helping Scott and his pack but no such luck! She got to her office and swallowed her meds as well as ate a few bricks of her chocolate bar hoping it would cheer her up and it did help but not as much as she had hoped. She got to class a few minutes before the bell and began setting up for her class, checking her attendance sheet to see who the new student was and also to see who wouldn't be there for their next assignment. Unfortunately the attendance didn't offer the name of the new student because according to the note their attendance program wasn't working.

**"****Alright class settle down, I see Stiles and Lydia aren't here that's a shame since today class we will be doing two new things." I said shushing them as they still whispered from their lunch time gossip. **

** "****Excuse me' is this Ms. Managarm's English class?" A tall young man said at the door as he leaned back on his heels smiling but it looked more like a smirk. **

** "****Well seeing as I'm here, you're in the right place you must be the new student. What's your…" I was going to ask his name but was cut off by Scott jumping up and yelling Isaac and hugging him; which gave me the slight inclination his name was exactly that. **

** "****Duded, where the hell have you been?" Scott said rambling a hundred questions at once at the poor kid who looked really awkward and frightened by the commotion. I tried to grab Scott's attention multiple times but he was completely ignorant of my attempts. **

** "****SCOTT MCCALL!" I yelled scaring Scott out of his hounding of the Isaac kid and turned pink around the ears as if just realising he was acting ridiculous. I think I even managed to startle most of the class; good to know I can still scare a bunch of kids I thought jokingly. **

** "****Scott, please sit down you're like a puppy jumping around a bone for goodness sake! Isaac I presume, what would be your last name then?" I said glaring at Scott who had the good decency to look sorry for the commotion he had caused. **

** "****Lahey, Isaac Lahey." He said looking me up and down as if analysing what my next move would be; as I looked at him more thoroughly I was shocked to see strong resemblances between him and my late mate Robert, I stood there gaping but as I heard a snicker I shook myself out of my own reverie.**

** "****Great! Now please take a seat and I'll catch you up after class." My voice cracking at first but finally getting it to go back to a normal level; I was completely shaken by his resemblance. It's funny he didn't really look like Robert but he had the same presence; it was completely unexplainable like his mere glimpses of personality were that of Rob's. **

** "****Alright, now that that is finished I'd like for everyone to get out a piece of paper. In a minute I will write 10 words on the board which you will have 10 minutes to define. You cannot use a dictionary, app or any other form of looking the definition up; you will write your definition beside the word and after you have done all ten words you will hand in the sheet of paper. This exercise will happen once a week, each time I will write the words on the board and you will have to define them. This is not for grades, however if you get more than 5 words correct I will add 2% to your next assignment; for many of you this could mean the difference of failing and passing so take these exercises seriously! There will be no talking while I put them on the board and no talking till all the papers are on my desk; please make sure to put your name on it so I can correctly give out the award if any of you should get more than 5 words." I said smiling at all their focused faces, it was amazing how the idea of a bonus could get their gears revving. **

April put up ten words on the blackboard and sat down at her desk patiently waiting for the papers to be turned in. She had chosen easier words this week for it was the first time she had implemented this exercise into their lesson. April began stapling their next assignment sheets together but had difficulty concentrating; Isaac's mere presence in the room was completely terrifying! April's emotions were all over the place, she saw the differences more and more between her late mate and this young man before her but she still yearned for that connection. Isaac was timid were Robert was not, he was fidgety and nervous although he did hide it well; Isaac also looked like mischievous puppy where Robert looked like a grown man at 19. Finally squashing any lingering thoughts about her lost love, she focused back on the lesson, just in time to hear someone ask her a question.

**"****Ms. Managarm I was hoping to go see coach about joining the Lacrosse team again before my next class; anyway I can get my English work after school?" Isaac asked **

** "****Yes that's fine, you'll need to pick one of these three books for class; just pick one now and I'll give you the assignment after school. If I'm not there right after class just go on in and wait." I said as he handed me his paper and I glanced over it.**

** "****Thanks." He simply said as he picked the Handmaid's Tale and walked back to his desk giving Scott silent signals that they would talk later. **


	9. Chapter 9

April had gone through all her other classes with hyped up hormones and the shrill squeals of girls down the hallways as they gossiped about the night's events. She tried not to be cynical but it was hard for April to remember a time where she was in love because it was tarnished with blood and pain. Even years later she tried to forget about it, to forget how Robert's arms felt around her or how he would play with her hair when she slept in his arms she missed him but most of the time she missed that connection. She'd had flings over the years and even a few weekend affairs but they were more to scratch an itch than to feel anything; as April grew older she wondered if she'd ever feel an ounce of that connection again. April had friends over the years but sometimes friendship just wasn't enough and suddenly she felt very alone in the world. Despite her loneliness she knew she could never be with someone like that; her past was too riddled with hardship and pain for her to explain away. After her last class she went to the main office and grabbed Isaac's school file and when she got to her own office she was surprised to not see Isaac yet so she made a call to the veterinarian clinic saying she'd stop by and pick up her cat Archimedes or Archie for short.

**"****You have a cat named after a mathematician?" Isaac said chuckling as he walked into her office just as I hung up my office phone. **

** "****No I didn't name him, but he's named after the owl from Disney movie "Sword in the Stone" because he's a crotchety old man." I said chuckling remembering how I found a cat a few years back and a previous student of mine who was in love with the movie and said the cat had eyes of an old soul and the personality of an ass (well she didn't quite use those words). **

** "****Seriously? What loser names a cat after an owl." Isaac said laughing and I felt complete sadness fill me, for that same student was part of my private tutoring days; I taught her from the walls of cancer wards.**

** "****A 13 year old girl who died a week later from cancer." I said controlling my emotions and shuffling through my papers to find all of Isaac's school work. **

** "****Oh. Sorry." Isaac said wide eyed and for the briefest of seconds filled with terror like I would be angry at him. Deaton had briefly told me about him now that I recalled he said he was an abuse victim, it explained a lot. **

** "****Not your fault, although I might refrain calling someone you don't know a loser. It just comes off as ignorant and I can tell by your old school records you are anything but." I said pulling out his file and his work and flipping them open. **

** "****I think that was a compliment, so thanks." Isaac said rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. **

** "****It was, now it says here you went to school in France, and yet here you haven't signed up for any French, is there a reason why?" I asked raising an eyebrow at him because truly his class schedule look like a bunch of bird classes rather than anything he with substance. **

** "****Mrs. Humphries chose all my classes; I don't think she likes me very much to be honest." Isaac said leaning forward towards the desk and biting his lip as he looked to the ground where my feet were. **

** "****Well probably because half the male student body calls her "Sir Humpalot"." I said looking over my glasses at him with a scolding gaze to which he only bit him lip harder trying to contain his smirk. **

** "****Isaac I think you could have potential to be good at school but none of these classes will challenge you so what classes do you actually even like?" I asked and put it to him to make the decisions.; guessing he rarely had choices of his own. **

** "****Uh, well I don't like music class, I can't even play anything remotely well; maybe change that to French. Gym I like and the other stuff haven't really done much with to know if I like it or not." Isaac said as he went through the list of classes. **

** "****Okay then we'll keep the mandatory ones and gym; change music to French by the way how well do you speak it?" I asked wondering how much he had actually picked up on his travels. **

** '****Très bien mademoiselle." Isaac said with a smirk like it was impressive. ****_(Very well miss.)_**

** "****Mais pas aussi bien que moi, je crois." I responded startling Isaac into a straight face.**

** "****Yes, I think this schedule will do nicely. Alright now for English, here are your assignments and summaries of my lessons over the past few days so you can catch up. Our world history class has an assignment due next week but I'll give you a couple of extra days so you can settle in and not stress yourself out with homework. I think that's it Mr. Lahey, now please go and have some fun I think I've kept you here quite long enough." I said looking at the clock and reading 4pm already. The bonfire was to start at 8 but I'd have to be back at the school for 7. It didn't give me a lot of time to run errands and get ready for the teenage drama. **

** "****Can I ask you something?" Isaac said as he stood to leave my office; I nodded to agree. **

** "****Why did you watch me so closely in class today, did I do something wrong?" he asked looking confused and yet scared of what the answer might be. **

** "****You remind me of someone that's all, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable" I said a little shocked he had noticed my staring earlier today.**

** "****Not a problem, I'm good with you staring at me." Isaac said grinning and walking away at werewolf speed; the cocky little shit I thought laughing at his audacity to hit on a teacher. **

April gathered her things and left to pick up Archie and then grab something to eat and maybe change into something more comfortable than heels and a pencil skirt. She was about to leave the school grounds when she saw Isaac being picked up by Chris Argent, she wondered if he was the reason Isaac was back in town. She went to the clinic and picked up her cat; then realised he needed food. Archie was cranky to say the least, not that April could blame him, the poor cat got drenched, kept at an unknown place filled with dogs and wild things and then now she was driving him home in a crate; honestly if she was treated the same way she'd scratch somebodies eyes out. April dropped him off at her house and then drove back to the grocery store to pick him up some fish as a treat.

**"****Melissa! Hey, how's it going?" I exclaimed as I saw down one of the grocery aisles. **

** "****Oh, hi April; it's going alright just on my break actually, six more hours to go but thought I'd pick up something for dinner other than cafeteria food. How are things?" Melissa said through a yawn; she looked utterly exhausted and still had 6 hours to go! She said things I presume as to not give away anything but she said it so awkwardly that it might as well been a neon sign saying I was a suspicious character.**

** "****Oh you know trying to deal with hormonal teenagers and now a bonfire where I have to listen to Mr. Finstock yammer in my ear…oh the exciting life of a teacher. Finally got my water working though, hey maybe you should come by tomorrow we'll have a glass of wine and eat another chocolate cake, eh?" I said missing our conversations and better yet I had had a brilliant idea of teaching her basic self defense so maybe she could survive a little more easily without someone saving her behind. **

** "****Oh let me guess coach hitting on you too?" Melissa said snickering and gaining a humorous light in her eye making me relax a little. **

** "****OMG yes, it's driving me crazy; honestly the man won't give it a break he tries to stop and talk every chance he gets! He even interrupted my class today with the excuse of looking for a stapler…like seriously, I thought the kids love life was bad enough never mind mine!" I exasperatedly huffed out making Melissa laugh out loud. **

**"****Don't worry, he did that to me too; when I went to parent teacher night last year, thought I'd never get out of there! Oh and trust me teenage loves never get easier." Melissa said smiling as she leaned on her back leg. **

**"****Tell me about it, I just want to lock Malia up in a room with Stiles so they both stop brooding in my classes their ridiculous!" I said shaking my head in irritation.**

**"****Why? What are they fighting about?" Melissa said intrigued to get the gossip on Stiles who was basically her son based on how much time he and Scott spent together. **

**"****Malia found out Stiles was keeping her biological parentage a secret; Peter Hale is her father did you know that? She's also on the dead pool and the more these two spend apart the more I wonder how I'm…" I almost said out loud in a crowded store my true purpose here and Melissa caught on quick enough too thankfully since she immediately changed the topic. **

**"****Stay away from Peter, went on a date with the bastard and he didn't even call back!" She said smiling knowing we both knew that wasn't even on the top ten reasons to stay away from him. **

**"****Alright will do, shit I got to go. Still need to grab cat food, wine and bread. Can't believe I got suckered into chaperoning tonight! I'll talk to you later Melissa." I said groaning as she waved and left too. **

April finished her shopping and then went home to prepare for a long night. She fed Archie and then went to her basement, she realised by talking with Melissa she was beginning to fall too deeply in her role as teacher and forgetting her old ways. After her father was killed many of the pack members who were loyal to him and Marcus disappeared across the globe; half of the reason she travelled so much for school wasn't because of scholarly research but rather to hunt them down and kill them for their crimes. For 5 years she had been an assassin as Melissa called her, she was blood thirsty for revenge; she evaded the law for years until Deaton found her and they both made an oath to stay on the straight and unsupernatural as possible somehow neither could evade the supernatural for long. It was Melissa's first reaction to her at the grocery store that made her think of it, she was beginning to forget she was not only a killer but could evade the law and the best way to do that was make it look like an innocent accident; something anyone could do at bonfire with a bunch of drunk kids who also happened to have million dollar bounties. When April began these thoughts she immediately went to her basement and stocked up, if someone was going to try and kill her students, they'd have to go through her first.

April knew she couldn't go in looking like an armed killer so she'd have to be discreet. She wore black jeans which would give her the ability to hide in the dark and over the knee boots which would help conceal her thermal blades. She wore a vest that holstered two small hand guns to her back and wore a Kevlar like leather coat which would hide any bulkiness of the vest. She added the piece de resistance…a snake bracelet that was also a dagger, it was one of the only things she had of her mother and it was also deadly. She left for the bonfire and hoped she was just overly cautious and would end up only dealing with drunk teenagers. When she got to the bonfire it was already in full swing, she was ten minutes late but she had thought it would start late like every party does….apparently that rule doesn't apply in Beacon Hills. Coach found her almost the instant she arrived asking her to chaperone outside with her and they could do rounds around the bonfire itself. She agreed of course but made sure to keep eyes on even the smallest hint of trouble.

The bonfire was lit and the music was blaring; it was the perfect night for drunk teenagers. April had already sent two kids home in the first hour, they were so intoxicated she got the coach to drive them to the hospital for fear of alcohol poisoning. With the coach gone she found the students on the dead pool and kept them in her sight at all times; honestly April was beginning to think they should be low jacked. She knew werewolves couldn't get drunk so when she saw Malia literally swaying as if she was it was not a good sign. When she got closer to Malia she also saw Liam drunker than a skunk as well and Scott talking to him. That's when she heard Isaac come up behind her and saw Malia collapse into a tree.

**"****Ms. M you are hot! Like sexy librarian hot! Wow I'm sorry…why do I feel drunk?" Isaac said as he fumbled into me. **

**"****Isaac, concentrate! I need you to help me get Malia up and back into my office." I said sternly knowing that even in perfect health I'd have trouble lifting a girl who was dead weight; never mind with partially healed gash across my ribs. **

**"****I think so…" Isaac said as he began lifting her into his arms; making it easier for me in case of attack. Isaac managed to lift Malia up in a fireman carry while **

**"****McCall grab Liam and bring him to my office! Now!" I said as I passed Scott and Liam. They actually listened but it was slow going for they were all somehow intoxicated. **

**"****What did you guys drink?" I asked to the lot of them as we walked closer to the doors of the school; trying to figure out what could have caused this. **

**"****Nothing! I didn't drink anything!" Scott said slowly and angrily. I knew he was mad at himself but really at this point it couldn't be helped. **

**"****Wait, the music….something with the music…" Scott mumbled as he walked into the school. I turned and grabbed Mason who she knew by tonight's observation that he was Liam's best friend.**

**"****Turn off the music…I'm giving you permission to do whatever is necessary to turn it off! Do you hear me, Liam needs you to do this." I yelled at him with such intensity he stumbled back and nodded. I ran in after the kids and hoped they had gotten to the office or at least on their way. **

**"****Isaac where is Scott and Liam?" I said when I entered the school to see only him half carrying half dropping Malia. **

**"****Liam ran off, Scott followed him. Where's your office again?" he asked with a goofy grin on his face; I tried not to get angry with him since he was helping me get Malia inside but the boy was infuriatingly unhelpful right now!**

**"****I'll find them after let's get her safe." I said grabbing her arm with a grunt for her body leaned heavily on my bad side but I pushed through the pain and we walked towards my office.**

**"****You're not going to get us in trouble for this are you?" Isaac quietly asked as we entered my office and we placed Malia behind my desk; I purposely placed her there so she couldn't be seen from the door window. **

**"****Let's just make it through tonight; we'll worry about tomorrow when it comes, eh?" I smiled at him and made him sit in my office chair where he slumped in exhaustion. I needed to find Scott and Liam fast!**

**"****Isaac I need you to stay with Malia; I mean it don't open this door for anyone but me. Stay here no matter what!" I said grabbing his chin and making his eyes focus on mine. **

**"****Hey your eyes are purple? Yeah sorry I'll stay with her…shit I just can't control my mouth!" Isaac said with astonishment. **

**"****I really don't think that's a drunk problem more like just a daily lack of filter" I said gently as I soothed his curly hair down like he was a child and not a werewolf dealing with death on a daily basis. **

**"****Alright I'm going to find Scott; remember don't open this door for anyone but me!" I said and then left the office locking the door. I ran down the corridor and then peaked down another hallway, Scott was nowhere in sight; that's when someone came up behind me a walloped me across the back making me fall to my knees. **

**"****Where's Scott McCall, I saw you come in here with him Bitch! Where is he?!" The man screamed at me as he lifted me by neck against the wall. Instantly I turned to my training and controlled my racing emotions. I kicked him in the knee loosening his grip enough for me to grab my right thermo knife and jab it into his thigh. He crumpled to the ground but before he could even say a sound I slit his throat; maybe some wouldn't have killed I had no qualms about doing it when they would have done the same to me. **

April looked over the man bleeding out onto the floor; he was equipped to the hilt and more importantly his physique led her to believe that they were professional mercenaries. She wiped of her blade and put it back into her boot she ran down the hall checking all the doors on her way. That's when she heard laughing down the hall, it was laughter that chilled her; it wasn't good news. She ran towards the sound to see half a dozen men in uniform two of them were pouring gasoline the others were making sure neither Liam or Scott could move; which wasn't really difficult since they were both being subdued by the music. Scott and Liam slumped against the lockers and now it was her turn to fight or so she thought but then the music stopped and Derek and a young women emerge to help fight…the young women she recognised from her own mercenary days the only differences were the scars on Braeden's neck. April ran back to Isaac and Malia realising Scott and Liam were in good hands but as she left she swore Braeden made eye contact with her parting form. She looked at the body on the floor and knew she didn't have time to clean it up like she would normally have done so she left it and knew it'd be one of those unexplainable deaths that were growing in numbers.

**"****Isaac you can open the door." I said knocking lightly on the door and immediately it opened. Isaac and Malia were gone but a note was written in Isaac's penmanship saying they felt fine and would cab it home; more likely when the music stopped they decided to help their friends. **

April decided to cut out early from her chaperoning duties and do some digging into this dead pool and more importantly The Benefactor; because she was getting real sick of things trying to kill her and her students. She told the coach she was feeling sick and maybe played the flirty card a little too much but it got her out of her responsibilities and therefore she wasn't truly put out. April went first to the library, she slipped past the alarm system which was pretty lax and went to the historical town papers; she made photocopies of everything she could think that would be useful and then left with no one being the wiser. The files and books she gathered from the library were enough to fill her passenger seat. She decided to do a tour of the town or rather the sewers since it would be the only place big enough to hide Berserkers or other creatures of the night. She drove till she found a construction site of a sewage system and parked her truck. She got out and realised there was a car in a nearby alley, it only caught her eye because she had seen it before; when Peter Hale drove it.

She checked to make sure the car was empty and did a brief scan and saw it was empty not only of Peter but really anything, she knew her truck was messy but; what was this dude a clean freak? The leather interior was spotless and there weren't even any personal items in the vehicle either. She decided to not take any more time with the car and head to the sewers, if Peter was the benefactor she'd find out here and now. She climbed the fence to the construction site and landed on her feet and began entering the caves. Before she had left her truck she had placed Lavender and other herbs in hidden pockets around her outfit to disguise her scent; and she wasn't more happy she'd done it till she found Berserker tracks throughout the sewer tunnels. However there were other tracks of a women's boot, and they weren't hers. She heard growling and slinked towards it as she calmed her heart rate to a slow steady pace. She grabbed her phone out and pushed record when she heard a female's voice.

**"****You said I'd have control by now!" the woman screamed out finishing with a distinctive were growl. **

**"****Well you would if you stopped being so damn fucking crazy bitch all the time!" a man said who I recognized as Peter's voice. **

**"****I'll show you crazy bitch, go get his daughter!" the woman yelled and two Berserker sounds came from further away.**

**"****My DAUGHTER is off limits!" Peter yelled his voice going deeper and louder as he grew angrier and then I heard cement crumbling and the woman grunting.**

**"****Kate, call them off or I'll rip your throat out and this time you won't be coming back!" Peter growled out; I took this moment to peak around the corner. I saw Peter holding Kate up by her throat; he was partially transformed while she was fully transformed into a were-jaguar. I quickly ducked back to my hiding spot when I felt a breeze move my braid. **

**"****Fine! Leave us! The next time you grab me like that Peter I'll have them rip you to pieces! Now here are the money transfers I found through my contacts, it's not much but it's all I got. Now if you don't mind teach me something useful other than finding an anchor bullshit you spew to those kids!" Kate spat out with such uncontrollable rage I wondered if she'd ever be able to control her psychotic nature. **

**"****Firstly it isn't bullshit as you so poetically put it; those kids are to control their anger unlike you who at the moment you don't get your way you turn into a lunatic, and although I know what that's like I'd rather not deal with someone so unhinged by a simple set back. So our arrangement is herewith dissolved." Peter said calmly as if he was talking about the weather and not a deal with a psychotic were-jaguar. **

**"****You think you can just walk away; remember who I AM!" Kate screamed as a stronger breeze flowed through the tunnel hitting me first then going in their direction. **

**"****Wait! Do you smell that?" Peter said making me freeze.**

**"****Yeah Lavender, not exactly a great subject change their Peter!" Kate said annoyed that her little rant was interrupted.**

**"****Yes Lavender,, and where are we Kate? A GODAMN sewer! Last I checked Lavender doesn't grow in sewage!" Peter said I however only heard the first bit clearly before I got out of the sewers as quickly as physically possible. I turned off my phone recording and hoped into my truck and then promptly broke the speeding laws to get home. **


	10. Chapter 10

April drove home and for a minute she was sure someone had followed her, but she figured she must have been paranoid since by the time she was in her neighborhood no cars were anywhere in the vicinity. April got home and went directly to her basement she turned on all her security measures on and threw her weapons, research and phone on the steel table. She leaned heavily on the table her hands in front of her and her head hung low. She was breathing heavily; her thoughts racing and jumping between all the facts she knew about this crazy town. Her side burned and she ripped off her clothes and saw her stitches had pulled and were bleeding. She was covered in her blood and sewage; she stripped to her knickers and put all the clothes in the wash, then headed to the downstairs shower. Her shower downstairs was nothing like the spa one attached to the master bedroom this one was high powered and a curtain; it was really no different from those in a school change room other than hers was clean and single stall. She put a shower down here in case of needing to clean up things she'd rather no visitors could snoop and find. The shower was hot though and the soaps down here were stronger than average allowing the sewer smell to disappear. After her shower she wrapped herself in a towel and went upstairs for her pajamas; she may be staying up later to look through this stuff but it didn't mean she couldn't be comfortable while doing it. April dressed in a simple violet silk teddy and a matching black silk housecoat; as she descended the stairs she heard a knock on the door and froze mid step and the promptly missed the next 6 steps as she tumbled to the door.

April groaned and cursed till the air was blue, then got up when whoever was at the door knocked louder and more aggressively. She picked herself up and went to the camera and laid her hand on the pistol hidden away from prying eyes in the front door table. She looked at the monitor and there stood the sheriff; which couldn't mean anything good. She quickly pushed a few button on her monitor which would close and lock her basement and then put the pistol away where she found it; opening the door with a sleepy smile hoping to not draw attention to herself.

**"****Officers, how may I help you?" I asked yawning for good measure and pulling my house coat tightly around my body so no one could see my body or its scars. **

** "****Are you alright we heard a thud." Sheriff Stilinski asked as he looked around behind me as if to see if I was hiding something. **

** "****I was hoping you didn't hear that; the knock startled me and I stumbled down the last few steps…I'm kind of a klutz." I said slightly embarrassed that I wasn't even making the story up. **

**"****Well sorry to bother you but we need to ask a few questions about the bonfire; may we come in?" the Sheriff asked as he looked around the inside of the house as if he was looking for just one suspicious thing…I did not have a good feeling about his snooping but opened the door wider to let him and his female deputy in. **

**"****Come on in, I was just about to put a pot of peppermint tea on; would you like anything to drink?" I asked as I walked them to my kitchen and the Sheriff observed every inch of my house. **

**"****Coffee would be great actually." The sheriff said smiling, hmmmm I wonder if this man was single and looking, maybe my date plan for Melissa would start tonight. **

**"****Well I have coffee not sure how good it is since I don't drink it but you're welcome to it of course." I said smiling as I put the coffee grinds into the pot and then turned on the kettle while they stood awkwardly in the kitchen staring at every nook and cranny as if a monster was about to appear. **

**"****You don't drink coffee, how do you survive?" the deputy asked wide eyed and all I could do was chuckle; every coffee drinker always asked the same thing.**

**"****Well I drink tea instead but trust me a bunch of high school students always keep me wide awake for fear of pranks. Speaking of school, you said you need to talk to me about the bonfire? Is it about those two students who went to the hospital to get their stomachs pumped?" I asked wondering if something had happened to them, but knowing full well in my gut that this was something much more serious than drunken teenagers. **

**"****No I'm afraid not. Why did you leave early Ms. Managarm?" the Sheriff questioned.**

**"****Oh well I tried to stay as long as possible but I've been fighting some form of stomach bug. I would have stayed longer to help but honestly seeing a bunch of drunk students vomit everywhere wasn't helping my nausea." I said trying to seem weak and sickly; which wasn't exactly easy since I was basically running on adrenaline from the encounter in the sewer earlier.**

**"****Well you seem much better now." The deputy said looking me in the eye as if she'd be able to scare me into confessing whatever they wanted; she didn't know that looking me in the eye would do nothing.**

**"****Peppermint tea and a bath; they work wonders. " I said shrugging my shoulders trying to seem innocent, which I don't believe the sheriff bought for a second; he seemed annoyingly good at his job unfortunately for me. **

**"****By the way Sheriff, I hope Stiles is doing well he wasn't in class today so I hope he didn't catch whatever I had." I said as I poured him his coffee and myself a cup of tea; hoping I'd figure out what his son had been getting up to.**

**"****What do you mean Stiles wasn't in school today?" the sheriff asked looking frightened and slightly annoyed. **

**"****I mean him and Lydia Martin weren't in my class today, I figured they must have caught the same bug as me and the other teacher who I actually replaced this evening at the bonfire as chaperone. Are you saying you didn't know?" I said my eyes searching for any kind of hint of what was going through his mind and more importantly if he was just lying to throw me off; but he wasn't lying he seriously didn't know.**

**"****No I didn't know; damn he's not picking up!" he said as he dialed his son's number. **

**"****Well I'm sure he's fine, you know how kids get sometimes. They just skip a class to get away for a while; right?" I said trying to reassure him by grabbing his arm and squeezing lightly. The sheriff left to the other room to make a few calls while the deputy asked me about drunk students, when I left and then finally if I saw anything suspicious.**

**"****Officers, I know it might be official business but can I ask what this is about?" I asked as the sheriff came back into the kitchen looking white as a ghost. **

**"****We found a few dead bodies at the school, it's all we can say. However the school will probably be closed tomorrow to investigate. Um I need to go my son he's in the hospital." Sheriff Stilinski said as he walked towards the front door. **

**"****Oh my god, well safe drive and please let me know if Stiles will be okay." I said genuinely worried about Stiles and most likely his genius sidekick Lydia. **

**"****Here's my card if you think of anything else please give us a call." The deputy said as the sheriff was already in his car sirens blaring towards the hospital. **

**"****Will do, and please let the sheriff know if Stiles needs anything regarding school or anything to give me a call." I said smiling which actually seemed like the first thing to convince the deputy of my good citizenship. **

**"****You have a good night miss." She said and I closed the door after her and turned on my alarm system. **

April quickly went to the basement to grab her phone and call Melissa to get any information she could on Stiles and Lydia. She called and was told they had been held captive at the Eichan house and Stiles had a concussion while Lydia was being treated for shock. Apparently the two numskulls went to the nut house without telling anyone else about their theories and worse yet if it hadn't been for Deputy Parish being good at his job; they both probably wouldn't have survived the night. Melissa was angry saying April should have done a better job at keeping track of Stiles and Lydia. April knew she was right but how was she supposed to keep track of them all when they don't even tell each other where they're going! April was stressed, agitated and her mind raced with theories and facts; she had to figure this out before one of those kids got themselves hurt; or worse killed.

April grabbed tape and markers and began writing on her basement wall; not even caring that she'd have to repaint it to get the marker marks off. Before she began she texted Melissa asking her for a favor, she asked her to get Malia and Stiles to talk; those two kids needed to work out their problems before the separation affected the entire pack. April put her house in lockdown not wanting to be interrupted while she worked on figuring this stuff out. If the school wasn't closed tomorrow she'd call in sick because knowing she almost didn't save two of these great students of hers, stilled her heart with fear. She turned up her music loud enough that all else was tuned out and began placing everything she knew on her walls.

Placing a giant question mark in the middle she worked outwards. Placing what she knew of everyone in this town and questions she had for what she didn't. She put up the conversation she overheard with Peter on the wall, and put arrows linking him and Kate together. Placing the Argent family crest on the wall she put Kate under it knowing full well Kate's main objective was power and bringing her precious hunter family together for more murderous deeds. She put connections between Lydia and her grandmother up as well as who Lydia named to break the code on the dead pool. April put up everything she had seen and heard in the last few months as well as some of the research she had found on others motives and predictable future action against Scott and his pack; plus the entire supernatural community in Beacon Hills. Still after hours poring over the wall she had created, she still came no closer to figuring it all out; she was running out of steam and more importantly theories. There was one thing that was clear to April; Kate Argent had more to do with the Benefactor and the Dead pool than she was letting on. April needed sleep so she headed up for bed, but she still had too many questions and racing thoughts to fall asleep; she put on a random DVD from her collection and drifted off to sleep within seconds of the first scene.

Her alarm blared at 7 am and April kind of murdered it with the dagger she kept under her pillow and with a dying out sound she pulled herself out of bed with a groan; she'd have to buy a new alarm clock, again. April had killed a few alarm clocks over the years even the one that ran away from the side table. She honestly hated mornings! She checked her phone, Deaton still hadn't texted her back which was a little worrisome but she figured he'd text her later in the day since it was only 7am. She showered and dressed and read the email saying the school would be closed for the day and decided to go check up on Stiles and Melissa who were both still at the hospital.

**"****Melissa, you know coffee isn't breakfast right?" I said as I plopped a paper bag filled with freshly baked goodies in front of her, as she shuffled through paperwork at the nurses' desk. **

**"****Obviously you've never tried the cafeteria food here." Melissa said smiling as she peered into the paper bag where two homemade scones sat in it still steaming hot. **

**"****You are the most wonderful human being in the world! Did you make these?" Melissa asked as she bit into the first one looking like she hadn't eaten in days. **

**"****Yes, I learned the recipe from a woman I stayed with in London while studying abroad." I said smiling remembering the warm hearted woman who reminded me of what every grandmother should embody; love, compassion and a keen sense. **

** "****You lived in London? Why haven't I heard this story yet?" Melissa said raising one eyebrow and slightly opened mouth with shock.**

**"****Probably because it was from a past I'm not sure you'd recognise me from." I said honestly for when I lived in London I was not all sane. **

**"****Well on that note, you came here to see Stiles, come on his room is this way." Melissa said looking at me with more curiosity than she probably ought to; you know what they say about curiosity.**

**"****Thank you; and I should also thank you for keeping my true purpose hidden even after last night." I said stopping her and making sure to look her in the eye trying to show I truly did appreciate her trust.**

**"****Yeah well don't thank me yet, I swear I almost let it slip when Scott asked about you last night." Melissa said leaning against the hospital hall wall. **

**"****It's hard keeping secrets from those we love, and I'm sorry I'm putting you in this position especially your son. Why was he asking about me though?" I said suddenly wondering if he saw something last night at the school. **

**"****Well he was curious why you wouldn't get them in trouble for their supposed drinking last night; that and apparently he overheard you telling Liam's best friend to turn off the music…I think he's suspicious of you, I know Stiles is. He doesn't believe it's coincidence you came just when they learned of the dead pool. Apparently on top of Malia and him fighting about her father they don't agree on you." Melissa said shaking her head mimicking my thoughts; Stiles' brain will always get him into trouble. **

**"****Great, so me showing up is just going to add to his suspicion! Well look thanks for keeping me in the loop, with Deaton gone it's hard to be in the loop and still stay anonymous." I said looking up at the ceiling wondering if this anonymity was really helping anyone.**

**"****Yeah , well I got to go home and get some rest my shift ended two hours ago and I have to be back here at 4." Melissa said as she pointed me towards the door Stiles was staying in. **

**"****Well, thanks, and enjoy the scones." I said smiling and walking towards the student whose suspicions could be a serious threat to me. I entered the door with a knock and smile when Stiles' shocked faced turned towards me.**

**"****Ummm hey." Stiles said looking around the room anxiously and as if he was trying to find an exit. **

**"****Hello Stiles, I hope you don't mind me stopping by just thought I'd stop and check in." I said giving him a once over and making sure all vital parts were attached. **

**"****How did you know I was in the hospital in the first place? How did you know what room I was in? Did Malia tell you? What internship and why do you care how I'm doing?" Stiles asked backing up towards his bed like the blankets could save him; honestly if I wanted him dead you'd think he'd know I'd have killed him by now!**

**"****I'm not really sure what question you'd like me to answer first, but I knew you were hurt because your dad was at my place when he got the call about you; he was really worried about you. I never really got to know if you were okay so I thought I'd pop by while I was dropping off paper work for the new internship program." I said smirking at his endless stream of questions.**

**"****Seriously why was my dad was at your place? I didn't even know he knew you! Oh my god is my dad dating my teacher?!" Stiles said his face contorting into confusion than to absolute horror. I'm really not sure how I'm supposed to take that last look. **

**"****Stiles I'm going to try and not take the face of pure disgust as an insult but we aren't dating I only met your father last night….he was questioning me about the dead bodies at school. Oh and to answer a few of your other questions, Melissa showed me your room but she went home to get some rest and I wanted to know if you'd be okay because I know this will come as a shock to you; but I care about my students." I said with such exasperation that I think he might have actually realised I wasn't there to kill him. **

**"****Oh!...sorry I didn't mean to say you're not hot…wait! I mean you're just so….god this is just coming out so wrong! I'm trying to say…" Stiles said stumbling over his words and his explanation in pure embarrassing agony. **

**"****Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try." I said chuckling at his little freak out dance when I quoted Yoda. **

**"****Wait, you've seen Star Wars! Wait did you just read that off some kids shirt?!" Stiles said slack jawed in awe of my apparent coolness; although the only reason I watched so many movies was because I had no life outside of assassinating and school.**

**"****Stiles it's Star Wars who hasn't seen it?" I said shrugging and laughing at his groan.**

**"****Scott, I've tried to get him to see it his entire life! Ugh!" Stiles seemed so contrite over his best friend's lack of pop culture all I could do was laugh out right.**

**"****Well maybe if we ever get a snow day in California I'll make the class watch it; can I ask you something Stiles?" I said trying to keep my voice from sounding overly interested in my next question.**

**"****Sure, I think it's only fair." Stiles said sitting on his bed again.**

**"****What happened last night, your father seemed very concerned but this morning you seem quite alright." I said hoping he'd give me something to go on that maybe I could investigate further while he stayed in the hospital. **

**"****Police business, can't say." Stiles said instantly closing the book as if it was radioactive. He yawned and pretended he was tired and needed to get some sleep; I left reluctantly but really I just wanted some answers. **

As April left the hospital she headed towards the animal clinic to find Deaton. When she arrives at the clinic she doesn't however find Deaton but instead sees movement in the clinic and goes to check it out. She looks through the windows and sees they are pitch black but can sense people moving within by shadows flickering across the blinds. She wonders who could be in there and whether they are friend or foe. However instead of being able to investigate she hears two police cars pulling into the driveway behind her. She turns to see the Sheriff walking towards her with a bone weary tired look across his face; his hand is itching to go to his gun and his demeanor extremely high alert. April wonders what this could mean but she'd guess it was nothing good for her.


	11. Chapter 11

_**~Authors Note: **Hi everyone firstly I'd like to thank everyone for the so many great reviews and ridiculous amount of favorites/follows! Secondly I'd like to apologize for the long wait between this chapter and the last but had MAJOR writers block but I'm back and will hopefully update in the next few days but there might be a little wait due to Thanksgiving and my crazy schedule but I promise it will be worth the wait (or at least I hope so lol)! Thanks again and keep up the reviews :) ~_

Well April was right, it wasn't anything good. The sheriff was there to bring her in to the police station on suspicion of murder; worst part is it wasn't even the one she committed! She wasn't handcuffed because she went willingly which apparently shocked the Sheriff since he literally didn't say anything for the entire card ride over to the station and April didn't offer anything either. She knew the legal system fairly well but she also knew she was damn guilty too; not exactly good odds especially when the high school murder was not her first or most brutal kill. When she walked into the office, there was a young deputy talking to Lydia, she looked up and tried to look surprised but it was obvious she wasn't; the girl was great at math but not hiding her emotions. The sheriff led me to his office, which was surprising since April had expected to be in an interrogation room. He motioned for her to sit in the chair and then closed the door.

** "****You know I don't get you. Why would educated woman like yourself, who's travelled all across the world according to your record; want to work at a public high school?" He began saying as he sat on his desk and leaned into my personal space to throw me off; it was a good classic interrogation tactic and also completely useless on me.**

** "****I'm not sure I follow; are you asking why this high school or just high school in general?" I said sitting up straight and arching an eyebrow.**

** "****Ms. Managarm you are pulled into questioning for a murder at your work and as far as I can tell you aren't the least bit nervous. Now I may not have two degrees but I do have intuition and experience and they are both screaming you're hiding something; so you can either answer my questions or you can be arrested for the murder; your choice." The Sheriff said standing up and crossing his arms and making me wonder if he'd believe the truth about my being in Beacon Hills or if like his son he'd go digging into my past and find things he'd never be okay with. **

** "****Sheriff we both know you don't have any evidence to prosecute me otherwise you'd have already arrested me; so please don't work me like some ignorant suspect. I came willingly to help find a killer so I can keep my kids safe, nothing more and nothing less. If you really must know I became a high school teacher because Dr. Alan Deaton said I could do some real good here." I said leaning back in my chair to give him an even stare.**

** "****You know I almost believe you when you say you want to protect those kids and yet I know you didn't go home after you left the school the other night; so want to explain where you were?" The sheriff said as he laid down photos of my truck in front of the construction site on his desk. It was just then that Peter Hale blew in to the office like he owned the place.**

** "****Sheriff I believe we have something to discuss…I didn't know your department was so desperate for man power they began hiring teachers too." Peter said with a tilt of his head in my direction. Honestly this man must have been born a smart ass. **

** "****She's here for questioning about a murder at the high school, you wouldn't know anything about that would you Peter?" the sheriff said standing up and changing his entire demeanor from annoyance and suspicion with me to hatred and anger towards Peter. **

** "****No, why would I?" Peter said his face actually seeming to flash ignorance which April actually believed because she knew where he was and what he was doing; he was in the sewers with Kate teaching her control. **

** "****You know I don't know what's worse the psycho actually looking innocent or the teacher keeping secrets! Look both of your cars were found outside this construction site just a few blocks from school; so one of you start talking!" the sheriff yelled in exasperation looking between me and Peter; great so much for my eavesdropping in the sewer being kept a secret.**

** "****Fine you caught us Sheriff; very good work. We're sleeping together." Peter said so dead panned that even I almost believed him; and I knew the bloody truth!**

** "****Oh come on, you expect me to believe you two are together?" The sheriff said his eyebrow raised and head tilted in disbelief. Honestly I was about to agree with the sheriff but despite my gut feeling to just walk out of the office and incapacitate Peter Hale to oblivion; it gave me an alibi which is something I desperately needed. **

** "****Well I wouldn't say we are together sheriff, but even a teacher needs to unwind; especially a high school one, don't you think?" I said just as deadpanned as Peter who at the moment was smirking like a cat who caught the canary. **

** "****Now sheriff could we discuss why you called me here this afternoon? Or would you care to know more about my dating life?" Peter said calmly not even looking at me after my statement; apparently we were just accepting that we had both lied and leaving it at that. **

** "****No you can wait here and Ms. Managarm I guess you are free to go; but don't leave town." The sheriff said as he stormed out of the office obviously frustrated that his questions didn't lead where he wanted them to; which left me and Peter in a room together…great!**

** "****Lavender it's a very distinctive smell, Ms. Managarm." Peter drawled out as he closed the office door and leaned against it with his arms crossed. **

** "****It is. Your point being?" I said standing and straightening out my pencil skirt and picking up my purse. **

** "****My point is you just lied to the police. Tsk tsk. Plus I'd like to know the truth or I'll go tell the sheriff we weren't there together and for once I think he'll believe me over someone else." Peter said leering and moving into my personal space; apparently the sheriff and him and been swapping interrogation tips. I could tell he was listening to my heart beat as he tilted his head and didn't get the reaction he was looking for; mine to speed up.**

** "****See I don't think you'd do that; it doesn't benefit you to tell the truth. Actually more importantly it would hinder your goals seeing as we both know what you were actually doing in the sewer; and while I'm not telling the truth I'm also not manipulative bastard in a V-neck." I said as I walked past him with a grin of my own. If he thought playing the blackmail card would make me tell the truth, he had better realise I was much better at it then him.**

** "****You know you really are quite a beautiful specimen; but don't test my patience." Peter said as he drew on finger down my face and his claw came out as he did. I poked a bear in hibernation; well in for a penny, in for a pound.**

** "****You know you really ought to think of getting a manicure, it might make you less likely to be a melodramatic psycho." I said pushing his finger away and grabbing the door handle to leave. **

** "****I'll be seeing you later April." Peter said as if caressing my name with his voice; if that didn't send chills down my back I'd be lying. **

As April left Lydia began furiously texting someone and April knew it'd only mean more trouble for her. She left the station and hailed a cab back to her truck which she had to leave at the clinic. When she arrived there was an unmarked van close to the front door. She called and texted Deaton numerous times throughout the day and was now beginning to get worried especially when he didn't responded to her question about his clinic or this blacked out van. April grabbed her keys from her purse and threw it in her truck and also grabbing her blades from it; the clinic was closed for the day anyone with a van outside the doors couldn't be a good thing. It wasn't either because when she got to the driver's side door a blade appeared at her throat; today just wasn't April's day!

**"****You won't kill any more of my pack!" a woman said pressing the knife to her throat till I could feel a trickle of blood drip down my neck. I realised then that it was no blade but rather sharp claws.**

** "****Wait, I'm not killing anyone!" I said through a hoarse whisper as the grip around my throat tightened. **

** "****Then explain the blade…" the woman said as she pulled it out of the back of my skirt, she let go of my throat almost instantly.**

** "****My apologies, I see now that you speak the truth. I owe my allegiance to the Managarm pack." the woman said as I turned around I recognised her almost instantly; Satomi Ito was an old ally and friend of my grandfathers. Satomi Ito had known my grandfather and had visited a few times when I was a young child, for I remember the photos of her and us together; she stopped visiting when my grandfather passed away and when my father became the sovereign alpha when I was four. (A sovereign Alpha was the alpha who was thought to be the strongest blood line to our past.)**

** "****It's fine you were just protecting your pack. Who is killing them? I'm guessing this is your van, Satomi Ito?" I said using her name which seemed to shock her slightly since her eyes grew wide; the woman was the master of poker faces. **

** "****Yes my pack is using it; but may I ask who are you and why you are here? This is a long way from your territory." she said looking me dead in the eye and although I knew her apparently she did not remember me. I wondered if I should tell her my true name or lie; but I knew that if I wanted to truly help her pack and Scott's I'd have to earn her trust with the truth. **

** "****My name is April Managarm; I am the granddaughter of Erik Managarm. I'm here on behalf of Dr. Alan Deaton and if I can help your pack in any way; I will." I said putting the blade back into my skirt and extending my hand in gesture of alliance and trust.**

** "****There is a new assassin everywhere we turn; I won't turn down free help. Thank you, April." Satomi said which would have been fine except I could see there was something else on her mind that she wanted to say to me; but she kept it to herself and extended her hand.**

** "****Satomi where is your pack right now?" I asked.**

** "****They are in a warehouse owned by Argent; Scott trusts him to take care of my pack but we are just too short of numbers to defend ourselves and too short of gun power. I don't know if we'll all survive this." Satomi said sighing but yet still maintaining a strong stance; she was exhausted but she'd fight for her pack till her last breath and I admired her love for them. **


	12. Chapter 12

It was a few hours later from when she had met Satomi in the veterinarian clinic parking lot; and April was loading up her truck with anything that would be helpful for protecting not only Satomi's pack but Scott's mismatch pack as well. She was just about to leave her house when she received a phone call on her landline. It was Melissa she was worried about her son's well-being and that he told her they were about to make a stand against anyone who was trying to kill them. She tried to comfort Melissa saying she'd be there to make sure Scott was okay but soothing a mother's worry was no easy task. April did suggest however having a small medical kit ready so that if anyone needed help; which actually helped Melissa keep herself occupied and out of trouble while she gathered medical supplies from the hospital. April was headed towards the Argent warehouse, she was about to do the one thing Deaton had asked her not to; reveal why she was in Beacon hills.

April pulled up behind the warehouse building, she didn't really have a plan on how to break the news but she figured before she could scope out the neighborhood and make a useful game plan. She climbed up neighboring buildings and set up a few cheap digital video cameras she had bought on the way and placed them facing the building; she jumped roof top to roof top calculating an assassin's plan of attack. She used what she would have done to kill those in the Argent warehouse as a blueprint to know what to prepare for. She set up traps and trip wires so she'd know how to defend these people; she realised the odds would be against them especially if the one with tactical training was a human who hunted werewolves. April was almost done and was about to head into the Argent Arms International Warehouse, when she felt a gun near her head; apparently she was getting bad at letting people sneak up on her.

**"****Who sent you?!" A man growled out as he turned me around and pinned me against the brick wall. I grabbed my blades in reflex and flipped the man on his backside, he was obviously not experienced with guns for he let it fall out of his hand and skipped across the pavement; the man she held under her boot was the one and only Derek Hale. **

** "****Well firstly no one sent me, and secondly…" I started to say but was interrupted with a shotgun reloading from behind me. I turned slowly and smiled standing there with a shotgun aimed at my chest was my old colleague (if you can call fellow mercenaries that) Braeden. **

** "****Secondly get your foot off him Countess." She said her eyes saying that even though they had had a past together she'd shoot; good for her I thought she finally found someone. I slowly put my blades back into my vest sheaths and took my foot off of Derek Hale who immediately got his gun and aimed it at me. **

** "****What no hug? I'm not here to kill anyone Braeden so put the bloody gun down eh? If I was he'd already be dead now wouldn't he? I said crossing my arms under my chest and smirking at her as I leaned back on one leg. It was funny how the world worked here I was standing in front of a gun held by a woman I helped years prior.**

** "****Wait! Hold up, you know each other?" Derek said with such confusion that I almost laughed out right. **

** "****Look we don't have much time so can we skip the walk down memory lane? I'm here to help; you can either take it or get yourselves killed. Your choice, now I'd like to speak to Satomi she's the one who told me where you were." I said looking him straight in the eye and daring him to question my word. Apparently he was smarter than he looked for he put the gun down as did Braeden who then led me inside without another word. **

April walked in the middle of them; Derek led the way while Braden followed. They may have had history but neither of them wanted to rehash it nor did April think Braden would ever truly trust her since she knew exactly what April was capable of. They walked past kids and families without a second glance, Derek was leading them to where the alphas were and that's exactly what April wanted so she didn't object. They came to a room filled with hanging tarps and crates; she saw Scott and he seemed less than pleased to see his English teacher and April couldn't blame him for a second. His eyes glowed and Argent stood beside him with his finger on the trigger. Satomi was the only one who seemed genuinely happy to see her, April was in for a long night.

**"****Welcome, Ms. Managarm and thank you for coming." Satomi said as she stepped more into the light.**

** "****Wait you know her?" Scott said his eyes going back to normal and looking at Satomi for answers.**

** "****I'm guessing you know her as well; I knew her grandfather he was an ally to me in the Second World War." She said her eye glazing over as if she was remembering my grandfather Erik but she shook herself and came back to the present. **

** "****However I was unaware that you knew her as well, Scott." She said looking between us with more questions than I could give her answers too at least in this small amount of time before sunset.**

** "****She's my English teacher! Apparently that position is always filled with someone wanting to kill people I love." He said with venom and anger; apparently he was thinking of the previous teacher who had turned out to be a dark druid. **

** "****Okay, well first of all I didn't lie to you, I am a teacher and a fairly good one if I don't say so myself." I said with a little ego boost to me but apparently that wasn't helping my cause. That's when Isaac came in to the room, this just couldn't be easy.**

** "****You! Seriously come on I liked you…okay not like that…just you gave me my first A!" Isaac groaned and I couldn't help myself but laugh. **

** "****Enough! Who the hell are you and why are you here?!" Argent said coming into my personal space and putting the gun to my forehead. **

** "****Chris, don't!" Scott said in a tone I recognised as an alpha; this kid was most definitely a true alpha and I wondered if Deaton ever truly told him what that entailed. **

** "****Scott it's fine, he wants answer and he's right to put the gun to my head under the circumstances. However it's also very stupid seeing as I'm here to help you stay alive." I said calmly and tilting my head to look Scott in the eye and show him I was being honest. Despite my honesty I didn't like the feel of an overly stressed out hunter having a gun pressed against my skin so I used a technique I had learned with my family to not only move the gun away but pull it apart within seconds; I may not have werewolf speed but I was still faster than the average human. I let the gun fall to the floor and then grabbed Isaac with a blade at his throat; I wasn't going to hurt anyone but I was going to show them that they were unprepared and unaware what was about to come their way. **

** "****Sorry Isaac, didn't mean to scare you but I did need to prove to you if I wanted to hurt anyone I would have already done it by now. " I said releasing Isaac from my grasp and giving him a hand getting up from the ground, he seemed irritated but not about to get all werewolf angry at me either, which was why I had picked him over Scott.**

** "****Scott I'm here to help you; and anyone else on that dead pool. I came to Beacon Hills to help, Deaton called me a few months ago saying there was a teacher's position opening up and that it would be perfect for me; he asked me to help him protect you and your family. I was to be a secret weapon against the dead pool, a last defense that no one knew about to save those on the hit list, to save innocent lives. I know it's hard to believe especially since I wasn't openly honest but I also never lied either; I'd tell you to call Deaton for proof but he's not answering his phone, but if you still don't believe me call your mother." I said as slowly as possible since everyone seemed to be antsy on the trigger finger. **

** "****Why would his mother know the truth, if you were supposed to be such a secret?" Isaac said crossing his arms and leaning on a crate, looking ready to pounce at any moment. **

** "****He's right, but you're also telling the truth if you wanted them dead they'd be dead." Braeden said coming up behind me and putting out her hand for me to shake. **

** "****They might not like the idea of you joining us but I'd rather you as a friend than an enemy. I know if you give me your word I can trust you, so do I have it?" she said as my hand went to meet hers and I nodded in appreciation. **

** "****I give you all my word; I'll protect you with my life. Oh and Isaac, that question about his mom; that's why I gave you an A, you're smart." I said as I shook her head and grinned at the uneasy alliance I had made.**

** "****You didn't answer him though; why does my mom know about you? She would have told me…" Scott said his hands curling into fists and his distress coming off him in waves. **

** "****Your mom knowing about me was completely unplanned; it was the night at the hospital with the Berserkers. I tried to help keep your body safe while you were basically dead but I was cornered by three of them and I escaped but only to see Melissa and Mrs. Yukimura being attacked. I was the one who killed the Berserker before it could kill yours and Kira's mother. Actually I guess you could call Noshiko as well since she knew I was protecting too." I said tying my hair up in a high ponytail while most of them were either staring at me in disbelief or fear. **

** "****Prove it, Scott call your mother. I need to make a few calls." Chris Argent said looking at me then at my blade which I still had in my hand; I quickly put it back into its sheath.**

** "****Well he's a bucket full of sunshine, eh?" I said hoping up on one of the crates and sitting there as Satomi came towards me with interest.**

** "****You should have told me you were under secrecy." Satomi said with disappointment and in her own alpha voice, as she crossed her arms and stared up at me while I crossed my legs on the crate. **

** "****I told you all you needed to know Satomi Ito; I am not my grandfather who you were close with, as I recall once he died you never came back again so why would I entrust such information on one who wouldn't even return to see her best friend's grandchildren. What have you done to be prepared for the incoming attacks?" I said with an undertone of harshness, it wasn't that I disliked the woman but her tone was saying I should submit to her was unwelcomed as was the disappointment I heard; I was here to help not reminisce about a family I'd rather never had. **

** "****I see. Well I appreciate the help none the less. We have stationed guards at every entrance and many of us are healing but we are ready to fight." She said clearly understanding it was all business between us from now on. **

** "****We have four shotguns, two machine guns and a variety of pistols. Mostly from my own collection, Argent has his own weapons and well of course the werewolves have claws." Braeden said coming up beside me with the blue prints of the building and laying them out beside where I was sitting. **

** "****Well if you were fighting the government officers or a pack of werewolves I'd be impressed with the layout you have here; unfortunately that's not what's coming for you. My contacts say there are rogue hunters, mercenaries, civilians and worse yet a half a dozen companies of contract killers; this isn't just a bunch of people out for money they are professionals worse yet they are the best of the professionals! Whoever this benefactor is he's contacted the best of the best to wipe you off the face of the earth…I mean no offence to this but we need more than a bunch of teenage werewolves to keep you safe!" I said sighing knowing that I had put a true fear into everyone who stood in this office. **

** "****So what your saying is that we're doomed, well glad I came back then!" Isaac said making me smile at his attempt to lighten the mood up.**

** "****Well I never said that. I've already improved your odds by setting up cameras on every surrounding building; not only that but putting traps on each building so that if anyone wants to sniper they'll be killed by me first. I also put trip wire in other spots I would have hunted you out which will give me a heads up knowing where they are coming from. In the event that someone is hurt, I also…" I was relayed to the group but was interrupted by Scott. **

** "****You also got my mom to set up a triage at Deaton's office." Scott said as he re-entered the room from calling his mother; his eyebrows were furrowed as he looked at me. I could see he believed I had helped her but he was questioning who I truly was and I could see why he had stayed alive so long his intuition was like a sixth sense for him.**

** "****Yes, I thought it would be smart especially with the humans here and more importantly with hunters who probably have wolfs bane. She confirmed my story I'm guessing since you're not trying to kill me" I said giving him a half smile which he thankfully returned.**

** "****She said you saved her, but I still don't understand why you would help us in the first place, you don't even know me." Scott said plainly and I appreciated his honesty as I jumped down from the crate. **

** "****Scott, you are here with a pack who you don't know; and yet you'd protect them with your life. I'm doing the same thing." I said putting my hand out to shake his. He took it and but I could tell it'd take more for him to truly trust me.**

** "****I'm putting my trust in you; but if you're lying or you get these people hurt…I don't care how well trained you are, I'll do the same to you." Scott said crushing my hand till I couldn't hold back a yelp since I felt my bones creaking, did he not realise I didn't have werewolf strength; kind of figured his mother would tell him that one! **

** "****Scott let go of her hand!" Chris Argent said as he entered the office making me sigh in relief and Scott's face to drop in not only confusion but surprise. **

** "****Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, I just…you're not a werewolf are you?" Scott said bewildered at the fact that I couldn't handle his strength and yet also didn't break like a human either…I was really hoping to avoid the conversation of what I was till later. **

** "****Of course she's not a werewolf, she's human. She's the Bloody Countess." Braeden said like it was the most obvious thing in the world; really wish she hadn't brought up my old moniker. **

** "****Wait! You're the Bloody Countess?!" Chris Argent said in shock and disgust; great apparently Braeden wouldn't be the only one who knew my not so pleasant past. **

** "****Well no I'm not the Bloody Countess; she was a rich Hungarian countess from the 16****th**** century. Honestly I really did hate that moniker, look we really don't have time to be talking about my past so here's the summary I grew up in an ancient family of werewolves, one coming from Vikings line but I am not one. In my family every 50 years or so a Runt is born, that is what I am making me neither human nor a werewolf. That moniker was something I was in the past I gave it up ten years ago and I'd like to leave it where it belongs; in the past." I said glaring at Braeden and Argent for bringing up my past. **

**"****Wait if that was ten years ago, how old are you now; you look barely older than us?" Isaac said in shock looking me over then looking sheepish as if he realised what he just asked; the boy literally said the first thing on his mind it was kind of hilarious. **

**"****I think there's a compliment in there somewhere; I'm older than I look Isaac because of the Runt gene. I'm 35 although I'm not sure that's any of your business Mr. Lahey." I said giving him my best annoyed teacher stare as possible. He sat a little opened jawed for a moment before firmly closing it and calculating something in his large brain, I figure it's his age versus my own; teenage boys never change. **

**"****Well now that we've wasted time why don't you start preparing us. Because anyone who thinks they can hunt and kill us for money, are going to be put on another list; our list. They get to be a name on our Dead Pool." Derek said pointing to the ground his eyes seething with anger and frustration. **

That's when Scott's phone rang and Lydia was put on speaker to get us updated on the Meredith situation; and if she'd figured out how to put an end to dead pool. She had good news, bad news, and worse news; not necessarily in that order. She first told us that Meredith wasn't the benefactor and that she had learned the first idea for the dead pool because she and Peter were hospitalized together and his comatose mumbo jumbo was what had begun Meredith on her belief that everyone needed to be killed; her being a banshee only helped put the possible list together. She believes that Peter was the benefactor and it was he who was giving her instructions but Peter denied all of it including any knowledge of her. That's when Peter dug his claws into her neck to find the memory of their encounter for he truly did not know her; however Meredith and Peter were linked while he was in his coma and Lydia saw the entire thing due to her Banshee powers. That wasn't all Peter got from her though he saw flashes of her receiving instructions from another man, flashes of her being tortured into submission to him while she was hospitalized with Peter; according to Lydia she thought Peter would have helped her since she saw him daily but no help came (since Peter lay burned and comatose beside her). Lydia explained someone else was controlling Meredith; the worse news apparently this Benefactor also controlled Lydia's grandmother and it was Meredith's first prediction as a child, it's how the man found her and brought her to Eichan House. The only good news apparently was that Peter was not the psychotic bad guy leading this chaos; April didn't really think that could be considered good news but in this life it couldn't be considered bad either.

April and the two packs began making preparations, setting booby traps and trip wires all over the building. April and Chris Argent planned the entire prep work and got everyone else to put them together, April wirelessly hooked up the cameras to her laptop and configured all the trip wires to alert to her phone. It would have to be enough since she now had to get herself ready for the fight. The warehouse was filled with sounds of feet shuffling and anxious whispers of youngsters; April could feel the air around the room filled with unease and fear she had to get out for a moment and center herself. She went into a small closet with all of her stuff and plugged in some music, which she used to do before a kill in her assassin days. She began changing out of her jogging clothes and putting on more appropriate gear; that's when she heard a knock on the slightly ajar door and Isaac walked in with her lifting her shirt over her head.

**"****Scott wants to talk to you. Sooo were all those scars from the Berserkers or do they have something to do with your incredibly mysterious past?" Isaac said leaning on the door jamb and biting into an apple as he scanned my torso.**

**"****You know it's unbelievably rude to stare Mr. Lahey." I simply said not wanting to reveal why my body was littered in scars.**

**"****Yeah sorry teenage boy can't help but stare." Isaac said with a shit eating grin; it was time to teach the young man a lesson about respecting women. I sauntered up to him with my shirt back on and let my fingers slide down his chest his eyes grew wide and just as I was about to lean in more; I grabbed his ear so hard he went to his knees and whimpered.**

**"****Yeah sorry assassin can't help it." I said as I let go of his ear and patted his curly hair with a smirk of my own and a wink; leaving him in awe on the floor and me leaving to find Scott. **

**"****Scott you wanted to see me?" I asked looking around the office to see him and Kira hugging.**

**"****Just wanted to let you know Kira came back to help us, figured you could place her somewhere with the most use for her skills." Scott said turning towards me but still holding Kira's hand. **

**"****Well she can be our emergency escape, if you think you're up for it Kira? We need to blow this place up if things go south; the only way to do that is to be near the hub of circuits I set up on the west side of the building with your powers you'll be able to do it quickly and still make it out of the building in time." I said showing her the blueprints of the building and the exit where I set up the hub of circuits. **

**"****I can do it." Kira said nodding her head towards Scott who looked sad that she had accepted but also knew how important it was too. **

**"****Good, then stick with Scott and I'm going to get my gear." I said and turned to go back to the closet Isaac interrupted me in. I walked back to the janitor's closet and closed the door needing to get dressed; but apparently no one knew the art of knocking so I unsheathed my mother's thermal blade and pointed it at whoever was about to see me in nothing but my bra and underwear. **

**"****Aren't blades a little old fashioned; honestly what century do you live in?" Peter said coming in and closing the door. **

**"****I don't know but probably a few after you since there wasn't the common courtesy of knocking in your time." I said not lowering my blade as he put his finger on it. **

**"****Touché, I see the meddling children have decided to trust you." Peter said leaning on the door as I finally lowered my weapon to the table and pulling on a pair of tight Kevlar jeans which looked more like leather jeans. **

**"****I see they let the white old man under the villain costume help them too; must teach those kids better next class." I said smirking at his Scooby Doo reference of meddling kids and my own comeback. I tried to grab my shirt but Peter got there first and held it out of my reach while I stood in jeans and my purple lace bra.**

**"****Didn't you hear? The banshee cleared me of all villainess; you on the other hand are purely sinful." Peter said as his gaze drank me up; I didn't even bother to cover up I just started to put my two gun holsters around my legs. **

**"****Yes so if I were you I'd return me my shirt, unless of course you'd like to learn how sinful I can be." I said tightening the last holster to my thigh with a glare directed at him and my shirt.**

**"****I think I'd like that but onto other matters; I'd like to know why you haven't told anyone about my little interaction in the sewers yet, not like you haven't blurted out your secret already." Peter said handing back my shirt with an open palm and I grabbed it hesitantly.**

** "****I was there for a while before you smelt me, I knew why you did it and I know right now these two packs need to focus on the fight ahead of them; if they lose focus I don't know how many of them I can protect. I won't lose another kid on my watch." I said throwing on my tank top and then my Kevlar jacket. **

**"****Seems you're the only one here that knows these are impossible odds." Peter said examining me closely and picking up one of my throwing knives and twirling it around his fingers.**

**"****It seems to me you should be running by now, isn't that what you do run; just another alpha looking out for number one and his power." I said grabbing the knife out of his hand and placing it up my sleeve with the rest of the throwing knives. **

**"****You don't know me well enough to judge me, so don't try; the last woman who did that had her throat slashed out and I'd hate to add another scar to your pretty little body." Peter growled out; apparently I hit a nerve. **

**"****If you think that you could hurt me anymore than I already have; you're underestimating me. Peter I've been surrounded by men like you since the day I was born, the only reason you are here is for a possible opportunity for more power; Scott's power to be precise so cut the crap." I said grabbing my vest and blades and walking past him towards the door. **

**"****If you truly believe that then why are you letting me stay here, if that were true you'd be killing me right now; I mean not like any one would care if I died." Peter said with the first glimpse of humanity I'd seen in him since the moment I met him; for once in his life, Peter Hale was actually being honest. **

**"****Honestly I should, but the reality is I can't protect everyone, and half those people out there are scarred kids who shouldn't have to take a life in their young lives but they are about to do just that. I'm not killing you for a simple fact; I need your ability to kill merciless, I need the monster within." I said simply as I tapped his chest with my pointer finger. **

**"****Well, that I can do." Peter said with a glower.**

**"****Also if you go near Scott or Satomi for their power, I'll be true to my moniker Braeden so delightfully brought up earlier." I said with a glare that even he had to know to be afraid of. I walked out of the closet and towards the crowd of werewolves.**

**"****We're ready as we'll ever be Countess." Argent said pumping his shotgun one final time, as I heard the first of many of my trip wire alarms being set off. **


	13. Chapter 13

It was battle for survival; nothing more, nothing less. It came in rounds; the first was filled with men with machine guns and black Kevlar. Scott protected his pack with dignity and the ability to preserve the lives of those coming for them; his true alpha heart shined throughout the entire battle. For the rest of them it wasn't quite so idealistic; it was kill or be killed in their minds and it's exactly what happened. Bodies and gun shells littered the floor by the dozens while the numbers of the pack surprisingly remained whole; there were ten injuries but nothing they couldn't deal with. Chris Argent remained vigil in his fighting but was almost shot if it weren't for Derek and Braeden; who kept back to back the entire time and also managed to stay unharmed. Kira saved Satomi's pack members when two men dropped from the ceiling and cornered them; Kira jumped a box and managed to slice through their harnesses and let them plummet to the ground knocking them unconscious.

April remained in high ground, conserving her energy for those who would come later, those who'd be harder to kill than a bunch of men with guns; these would be experienced killers and they'd come hard and fast. April shot as many men as she could, she also kept her laptop close so to set off booby traps before they could enter the building or set up snipers to shoot from afar. April was stunned to see that these adolescents could fight as well as they did, as the first round slowed she examined the room to see everyone was okay; that is till she saw a mercenary Taser Peter Hale and throw a smoke bomb into the room. She screamed smoke bomb and Satomi managed to kick it out a close by window so it wouldn't affect everyone; April threw a throwing knife to the man about to kill Peter it landed in the man's eye socket and he dropped instantly. Peter looked at the man then up at April she smirked and then continued looking at the cameras on her laptop. By midnight they were all out of ammo and all were fighting extreme exhaustion.

**"****So how many more do you think they'll send our way?" Scott said finally as he helped get a few who had life threatening injuries into the unmarked van I saw Satomi drive earlier. **

**"****As many as it will take to kill us all; this is only the beginning, Scott" I said climbing down the ladder from the position I had been perched in from earlier; and putting my hand comfortingly on his shoulder. **

**"****Stiles and Malia are saying they might have a way to end the Dead pool's automatic send out and end all the transactions but they need more time." Kira said putting her phone away and going to Scott for a hug and emotional support; April envied their connection.**

**"****Well then we'll just have to fight them off till then." I said throwing away my empty gun and making myself lighter so to be more agile with my blades; no longer could I help from the rafters.**

**"****Not to be doom and gloom but how long do you think we can take getting our asses kicked? I know you're some super soldier assassin but the rest of us are exhausted." Isaac said slumping to the ground and putting his head in his arms in defeat.**

**"****Shut up! We need to stay focused Isaac so get up and fight." Derek said loading their last remaining weapons up and scowling down at him. Apparently Derek was tired and took it out on anyone in close vicinity; great she was dealing with a bunch of neurotic toddlers!**

**"****Oh so says the guys with a gun not the one fighting with claws and fangs for two hours! Fuck off." Isaac said walking away to another room; I glared at Derek and followed Isaac.**

**"****Knock, knock." I said leaning on the door jamb of the room which had no door left for it laid on the ground covered in bullet holes.**

**"****What?! Want to give me some super spy pep talk or going to put a knife to my throat again? Cause I'm not really in the mood for either." Isaac bit out in anger and fear. **

**"****I've never been good at pep talks. Never quite understood them really; maybe it's because of my past or maybe because I'm a realist and see that a few words aren't going to change the outcome of my life. So here's the facts you're right we could die with the next round of mercenaries; they'll be skilled and they'll be experienced. However they're fighting for a payday not their friends and family so we have an edge and to be honest everyone here has already beaten impossible odds in their lives. Why would you think this would be any different?" I asked pulling his chin up and making him acknowledge my sincerity. **

**"****You know for a 'not pep talk' that sure sounded a lot like one. You know we never heard about your impossible odds?" Isaac said raising an eyebrow in curiosity.**

**"****My past well, it's exactly that; in the past." I said tightly not wanting to discuss it but Isaac just smiled and didn't press the issue. He chuckled slightly and I looked at him curiously. **

**"****You might be some crazy bad ass assassin but you'd make a good mom." Isaac said grabbing my hand that I held out and I choked back the pain that came erupting from my very soul at his words; I may have been once, but now I'd never know. **

**"****There's more coming." Derek said coming through the door his eyes showing distress. **

**"****Good, are all the injured gone?" I asked looking at Derek who was eyeing me suspiciously.**

**"****Yeah, they got everyone out, hopefully no one figures out they left the building but Satomi is with the injured; she'll be able to defend them." Derek said as business like as possible.**

** "****You know after all of this I'm going to need a message!" I groaned cracking my neck and heading out to the main room.**

**"****I'd be more than obliged." Peter said coming from the other side of the room and smirking while wiping off blood from the collar of his V-neck shirt. **

**"****Pretty sure you should say that without your hands covered in blood." Isaac said walking by with a smart ass look on his face.**

**"****You know if that kid wasn't always such a smart ass I think I'd like him." Peter said coming to walk beside me while Derek and Isaac walked ahead of us.**

** "****You know if you weren't such a manipulating bastard they all might…who am I kidding they'd still not like you." I said with a sugary sweet smile, making Isaac chuckle in front of us and Derek look behind us with a scowl. I get Peter isn't exactly winning any Nobel peace prizes anytime soon but at least he had a sense of humor unlike sour wolf in front of me. **

**"****GET DOWN! GRENADE!" Chris Argent screamed as we approached him and Scott; I saw it bounce in front of me but before I could move I was pulled back by the collar of my jacket and suddenly under Peter Hale. **

**It was a stun grenade thankfully so my ears were ringing but at least I wasn't blown up either; I was pissed not only because Peter of all people had to save me but these guys got a jump on me. I shoved Peter off of me with a grunt and ran towards the man who threw the grenade and whipped out my blade in a twirl avoiding his spraying bullets and slashed his throat. His blood spewed over me in a wave and I stood there breathing heavily and turning to make sure everyone else was safe; I saw Scott and Kira getting up and holding their ears while Derek and Isaac protected Braeden from the blast. **

**"****I don't think she has a problem with blood." Peter said staring at me with his glowing blue eyes as I wiped the blood from my blade on my thigh and moved past Peter whose eyes never left me. **

**"****So is this why you were called the Bloody Countess; you slash people's throats without even a second thought?!" Scott yelled at me, the boy would never understand what I did in the past; making me sigh in defeat. I checked the camera feeds for more incoming mercenaries there were two headed in from the east corner of the building where some of Satomi's pack were hidden I headed towards it without a word to Scott's outburst.**

**"****Scott, let her go. You need to realise sometimes you can't save everyone especially those who are trying to kill you." Chris Argent said while holding him back by the shoulder. I turned the corner but as I walked towards the intruders I could still hear Scott's voice carrying through the walls. **

**"****It's not right; she didn't even try to disarm him! How am I supposed to trust her when she kills just as ruthlessly as him?" Scott yelled as he pointed to Peter, at least I assumed that's what he did for I was already sneaking into the other room to get the rest of Satomi's pack safe.**

**"****Oh yes Scott, I'm the big bad because I've killed; but while you sit here and contemplate the moral high ground of life and death, the people you love will already be dead." Peter said harshly and stomped off. I heard their voices, which meant so did the two intruders they would head directly into the room where four teenagers were sitting ducks. **

**I ran for the room and managed to get there before, forcing them to run to another room filled with crates; they could hide easily enough behind them while I dealt with whatever was coming in through the exit door. I hid quickly behind the door as it opened and held my breath, listening to their shuffling feet as they entered the building and fanned out. As soon as I saw both of them pass the threshold I slid my blade out of its sheath and with my other hand grabbed a throwing knife. I killed the first one with my knife but the second attacker hit me with the door, pinning me to the wall; thankfully he was only human and my strength was able to throw him off balanced but managed to still draw his gun; I was faster though. I pulled my blade from behind the door and stabbed him through his gut.**

** "****I guess he might survive that one." Derek said actually trying to hide his smirk as he stopped mid run from the other room. **

** "****You know you might not be so bad Hale. Keep an eye out for my girl will you, I'd hate to kill such a pretty face." I said as Braeden came from another room where I heard her firing her weapon. He just smirked outright almost cracking a full-fledged smile.**

** "****Countess; you and I both know I can take care of myself, so stop threatening my investment will you." Braeden said walking into the room with a smirk and a glint of her eye that made me wonder if I missed out on some inside innuendo. **

** "****Only if you stop calling me that; my name's April." I said shaking my head while they made sex eyes at one another; honestly get a room! **

** "****You saved us…thank you." A teenage girl said running in. I think her name was Melissa she was only 15 and she had agreed to stay and fight; she was a brave one.**

** "****Well can't have students dying, I'd have no day job." I said chuckling and she smiled a little making it the first time in probably a long, long while. She ran towards me and hugged my middle I gingerly patted her shoulder and pushed her back to her older brother as they moved to a more secure location. **

** "****Let's get back to my laptop; I think we are in for some more visitors." I said pulling my throwing knife from the back of the man's neck. **

** "****You know you've changed since the last time I saw you." Braeden said coming to walk beside me with her gun slung over her right shoulder. **

** "****What not a blood thirsty killer out for revenge; yeah well only so long you can survive on anger and hate." I said fiddling with my throwing knife and not making eye contact. As I looked up in front of me I saw Scott and Chris Argent facing the laptop and an armed company of mercenaries heading there way; I yelled for them to watch out as the band of killers took aim and fired at them. They managed to dodge them in time while Braeden and I began attacking them as cover for Scot and Argent. **

** "****Split up!" I screamed pushing a remote I had in my boot that controlled the lights in the building; turning them off would give werewolves an advantage. It didn't exactly help me though, but I'd manage as I crawled behind a crate and caught my breath. **

** "****So how do you want to handle this?" Peter whispered, coming out of nowhere as I put my blade to his throat thinking he was the enemy. I listened for the footsteps of the oncoming attackers and heard only one set on the other side of the tall crate. **

**I looked at Peter and pointed to my feet and him then showing him I'd need a boost over the crate to kill silently. He simply nodded and gave me a leg up to the top of the crate where I jumped on it then swung down and killed the man; he grunted from the blade and all his comrades shot near his location but I was already on the other side before they could hit me. As I scurried closer to Peter trying to avoid and bullets his nearness made me feel the unbridled power radiating from him. **

** "****Peter, if you could get behind them, would you avoid being shot?" I whispered as I crouched lower from the spray of bullets overhead. **

** "****Why what are you thinking?" he said looking at me with keen interest. **

** "****I'm thinking lets hunt the hunters." I said smiling slightly; if they wanted to hunt down a bunch of teenagers they'd be in for a surprise, with the monster April was about to unleash.**

** "****FYI if I get shot you owe me a drink." Peter said his lip curling into an all knowing grin of victory. **

** "****FYI if you get shot I'll take two drinks for that." I said with such sass that he shut up and crawled to another crate while I began planning my stupid idea of live bait.**

April looked threw her pockets and her surroundings for something to distract them so she could get out from the line of fire but also keep them occupied long enough for Peter to sneak up on them. It didn't take long for her to realise she had a compact mirror in her pocket and she pulled a flare from inside her jacket, she was glad she had packed it with her. She knew the attackers were probably wearing heat vision goggles therefore the flare would blind them with the mirror throwing off the exact location of it by reflecting the light. She attached the compact with hair elastic on her wrist and MacGyvered it so it'd stay attached as she threw it in their direction. She lit the flare and tossed it towards them making them all yell at it and throw off their goggles. It was then that Peter attacked from behind, showing April his werewolf form for the first time; she was startled momentarily by his sheer animalistic nature.

As he killed she went forward to cut down those who would threaten any of these kids; there must have been twenty or thirty men and women charging them from all directions. It felt like hours she had been slashing and cutting through the waves of attackers. Argent and Braeden shot from afar while Scott and Isaac joined the werewolf with blue eyes. As the last few people dropped Scott held a man by his throat when all the assailants phones chirped, Scott pulled it from the man's pocket and it said that all contracts were terminated. Scott leapt off the table but April saw it before anyone else; the man he had just taken down wasn't just a man doing his job, the man enjoyed and revelled in death. He wasn't just here for the money but for the reaping of death at his hand which currently held a dagger. April yelled for Scott to look out but jumped in between them and felt searing pain as the knife hit her hip bone but she pushed through it and slice straight through the man's heart.


	14. Chapter 14

**"****April! Scott move!" Argent yelled as I hit the ground full force the knife still protruding from my side; Scott was hovering over me mumbling incoherently. **

**"****I'm fine, Argent just grab the first aid kit or get me to the clinic." I said groaning through the pain and putting pressure around the knife.**

**"****He wasn't going to get paid! Why would he try and kill me?" Scott said looking at the crumpled body of the man who had tried to kill him.**

**"****He enjoys killing, he enjoys the thrill of seeing life leave a creatures eyes; I know because my father used to have the same look in his eyes that this man just had. The kill wasn't necessary it was wanted like a pregnant woman needs ice cream; a craving so desperate it must be satiated." I coughed out the last word as Argent pressed bandages to my side.**

**"****That never crossed your blandly moral brain did it Scott. You may be a true alpha but you see people for their goodness and not their evil." Peter said walking slowly over dead bodies while twisting his neck as his werewolf attributes shifted to his human ones. **

**"****What like you; pretty sure you I figured that out a while ago." Scott said through gritted teeth, he was about to stand but I grabbed his hand, making the knife shift and me to gasp.**

**"****Scott that trait is why you're a true alpha, don't ever change it. Scott not hours ago you thought me a monster for slitting a man's throat, you must learn to recognise death isn't always a monstrous thing." I said squeezing his hand lightly for the loss of blood was getting to me; I made a move to get up but Argent pushed me back down. **

**"****Don't move we need to get you to the clinic; let's get you to my car." Argent said motioning for Isaac and Scott to lift me.**

**"****No it'll be easier in the bed of my pickup; you can get everyone safe and also burn the building down to destroy the evidence. Just need someone to drive." I said waving off the help from the two young werewolves as I stood using my other leg.**

**"****I'll drive you." Isaac spoke up grinning; I so did not like the idea of anyone driving my baby let alone a teenage boy with a giant grin on his face.**

**"****Because a knife sticking out from her didn't worry enough; let's add teenage boy driving too. I'll drive…whoa there killer." Peter said catching me as I swayed dizziness from loss of blood catching up with me; the pain was killing me and I leaned into Peter's frame much more than I wanted to. **

**"****Here let me take some of the pain, least I can do for saving my life." Scott said grabbing my hand and trying to use his powers; when it didn't work he looked at me worried.**

**"****Relax I'm not dying, not yet anyway. Your magical healing touch doesn't work on me, just get Satomi's pack safe and that's payment enough." I said as I grabbed Peter's arm trying to steady myself; technically I lied to Scott, there was a time when a werewolf could take away my pain using their healing powers; if I was mated to them. **

**"****Mother fucker…." I yelled as Peter picked me up bridal style. I guess I wasn't walking to the truck. **

**"****Thought not telling you would be better." Peter just said; if he could have shrugged he would have.**

**"****Gee remind me to thank you later." I said bitingly as I tried to keep from swearing again. Isaac grabbed my bag and then Peter walked with me in his arms to the truck; I hate to admit it but even covered in blood the man smelt good. **

**"****Where are your keys?" Peter said as we exited the building and headed towards my pickup around the block. **

**"****There's a lock box under the bed of it, my keys are in it. The codes…ummm…the codes…" I drawled off.**

April's mind wheeled with colours and sounds, she had no idea what was happening. She must have blackout since when she woke she was laying on a steel slab with wire and tubes hooked up to her arms. She was beginning to see a pattern with this veterinarian clinic and waking up injured! April most certainly didn't like it!

** "****Well, well here I thought I'd have to kiss you awake, Sleeping Beauty." Peter said from the shadow of the room.**

**"****What's with you and fairy tales, you're a grown man it's a little creepy." I said smiling that I could actually no longer feel pain in my hip.**

**"****Whoa there, where do you think you're going? You come in with two bruised ribs, a concussion and a knife sticking out of you like some kind of horror movie! No you are not ruining my great stitch work by moving around!" Melissa said sounding exhausted and yet slightly relieved.**

**"****What kind of friend would I be if I didn't provide you with practice for your exceptional skills?" I said sweetly still sitting up but doing it slowly this time.**

**"****One that's not high on drugs." Melissa said chuckling as she checked over my bandages and fluids attached to my arm through an IV.**

**"****Wait, how did you get my keys? If you damaged my truck I'm going to kill you myself!" I said out of the blue to Peter as my mind played catch up and jumped around slightly; most likely because of said drugs. **

**"****This is the thanks I get for rescuing the damsel! I'm a werewolf I broke you're lock box obviously." Peter said in an exasperated tone as he leaned on the counter more in the light, his face brooding; I thought the nephew was the cranky one!**

**"****You, stop being an ass; and you stop fidgeting while I unhook the IV's." Melissa said shutting both of us up with her tone. Now I know why Scott turned out so well; no one messed with an angry Melissa McCall. **

**"****Not to get my head bitten off but why are you taking the IV's out; shouldn't she be staying here?" Peter asked while playing with one of the scalpels between his fingers. **

**"****I'm taking them out since she's awake and I need them to help other patients. She's going to need to stay with someone who can watch her overnight, because of the concussion." Melissa said than looking at me apologetically, knowing that I was in for a long night.**

**"****My metabolism burns medication at an accelerated rate; I'd use up all of the drugs acquisitioned for this evening before anyone else could use it. If she's to help the others she has to take me off the IV; which is good because I hate these things." I said lifting my hand up to show the needle and tubing. **

**"****Let me get this straight your probably one of the most injured since everyone else will heal and you are still giving up the medication? How will she be able to cope? You can't actually let her do this?" Isaac said raising his voice and coming into the door looking stricken by what he had heard.**

**"****Sure why doesn't everyone come on in, and discuss me like I'm not here. Isaac I'll be fine, it's the weekend tomorrow and I do heal faster than the average person so please do calm down; or at the very least lower your voice my head is killing. Plus these are most definitely not the worst injuries I've attained." I said shrugging my shoulders making all three of them stare at me. A hundred emotions flickered across their faces, predominantly pity from both Isaac and Melissa; Peter just held a mild curiosity. **

**"****I'll need someone to drive me home; Peter would you mind dropping me off?" I asked hoping his good nature would continue to do me one last favor.**

**"****Is she cleared to leave?" Peter asked pushing off the counter and twirling my keys in his hand while his one eyebrow rose quizzically at my raised eyebrows; I mean seriously they were my keys he didn't need to look so comfortable with them. **

**"****Yeah I guess so; I'll send someone over to the house with you two." Melissa said picking up her phone to dial someone's number. **

**"****Its fine I'll stay with her." Peter said shocking everyone in the room; I figured he'd drop me off not stay the bloody night!**

**"****Are you sure about that, it's no problem for me to send someone with you." Melissa said looking at me expecting I'd refuse since Peter at my house could possibly be the worst idea ever. I had to agree with her but on the same breath he was also the only one who would leave me in peace while I was in pain and also everyone else was dead on their feet and had families or loved ones to get back to; Peter and I didn't, at least none that wanted us. **

**"****No you just focus on getting everyone patched up, don't worry about us." I said trying to slide off the table as gently as possible. **

**"****I realise you're some famous Bloody Countess, but you can't really think going home with this lunatic who claws people's throats out, is the best idea?" Isaac said slacked jaw like I had gone mental. **

**"****I'm a reformed lunatic; haven't slashed anyone's throat in months, unless of course you're counting tonight." Peter said tilting his head and giving a slight smirk; making both Isaac and Melissa look around nervously. I looked at him and shook my head with a slight smile; he was trying to make them uncomfortable and it was working. He was such a manipulative ass sometimes.**

** "****Okay I don't want to know about any throat slashing; and what does Isaac mean you're the Bloody Countess? Last I checked she was a Hungarian Countess who bathed in the blood, at least if my history class in college was accurate. Why would anyone call you that?" Melissa said pointing her pen at me and glaring at me for answers.**

** "****Not that this conversation isn't enthralling but I'd rather go sooner than later and as the lady said we will be fine." Peter said interrupting our little off track conversation and coming towards me to offer me a hand down. **

April took Peter's hand and realised for the first time she was still wearing her bloodied shirt and what was left of her jeans. Peter and Isaac were pushed out of the room while Melissa gave her the extra clothes that April always carried in her truck. The only problem was that they were tight blue jeans; to say it was uncomfortable was an epic understatement, but April really didn't have much choice since Melissa had to cut off her other pants to stitch up the wound. Peter helped April to the car, but after a few feet it was obvious the drugs were still making her loopy; Peter picked her up and put her in the passenger seat so quickly April didn't even have time to say she was fine or grateful.

** "****Thank you." I said as he started my truck, he looked at me and smirked.**

**"****Thank you for taking a bullet for you, bringing you here or just now; saving you from the Spanish inquisition, McCall was about to inflict upon you?" Peter asked as he roared the engine to life. **

**"****Firstly, what bullet did you take for me? My brain might be still muddled from pain killers but I don't remember you getting shot on my behalf. Funnily enough I do remember saving your ass with my knife though." I said looking him over and seeing no evidence of a bullet wound, but he had a new shirt on too so it was hard to tell. **

**"****Pretty sure saving you from a grenade kind of makes us square. Plus while you were playing with the flare I got shot in the leg; which mean you owe me a drink. " Peter grinned showing off his dimples; shit he had dimples, I was in serious trouble if that's how much I was observing Peter Hale; and liking it! God what meds did Melissa put into me!**

**"****Ok well you weren't taking a bullet for me personally so don't you think your pushing it there Mr. Hale?" I said chuckling at his cheeky attempt to seem more chivalrous. **

**"****I have to go back to my place to grab some clothes." Peter said as he got on to the main road of town. **

**"****Here I thought the ripped look was in." I said smirking and taking that chance to actually look at his clothes or rather rags that were doing nothing to hide his physique under them. **

**"****I could take them off if you prefer." Peter said his voice doing that grumbly thing I liked, I mean hated! Crap, he had to be an attractive psycho killer.**

**"****No just wondering how I'm going to get the stains out of my truck." I said quickly to cover up my ogling and then turning my head to face out the passenger window. **

**"****You didn't tell Melissa about your past, why not?" Peter suddenly asked after a few moments of silence. **

**"****I did." I said watching as the sky started to drop the first few raindrops down the car window.**

**"****Only the good parts, if you wanted her trust you should have told her everything you know." Peter said looking around for the windshield wipers on the truck. **

**"****Here. Let's just say I don't like bringing up my past so stop your round-about way of digging Peter. If you want to ask something just ask me." I said leaning over to turn the wipers on but wincing as I shifted in my seat to sit back down; the pain meds were already beginning to wear off. **

**"****Fine; I don't get it you. You're the do gooder type and yet you kill as efficiently and gracefully as if you were born to do it. How does a teacher become a trained killer?" Peter said looking at me raising an eyebrow, as I closed my eyes and rested my head against my headrest; the exhaustion was starting to sink in and I so just wanted to go to bed. **

**"****Same thing that made you turn into a former lunatic; tragedy and monstrous people." I said opening me eyes slightly to look at him, he just stared ahead like he was in another place and time, as I tried to fight off the memories that flashed in the back of my brain. **

**"****We're here; I'd leave you in the truck but if I did you'd probably pass out and I'd rather not be any more so on McCall's bad side." Peter said parking my truck in the visitor's parking of a modern condo building.**

**"****Well maybe next time you shouldn't take out a single mom on a date to try and kill her; then have the nerve to never call her back!" I said giving him my best steely eyed look. **

**"****I'll take that under advisement, wait till I help you." Peter said opening his door giving me an irritated look; well hell if I was waiting for him to be chivalrous after that glare, hell no! I wasn't fast enough though, because he sped around the truck werewolf speed and stopped me from slipping out on my own. **

**"****Honestly do you have a death wish or do you like the idea of pain that much?" Peter growled out, he was pissed now; apparently he didn't like my attempt to help myself. **

**"****Maybe I'm just not used to getting help." I snapped back, if he was angry imagine how I felt being completely useless. **

**"****Then maybe you should be taking it where you can get it." Peter said helping me to my feet and closing the truck door; his jaw clenching and unclenching in stress. I tried to walk but I was failing since my jeans kept catching on the bandages still taped to my hip. **

**"****Damn, wait." I said as Peter tried to half drag me towards the condo doors. I wanted to see if there would be any spare clothes in my back seat, maybe a pair of track pants that wouldn't rub so much.**

**"****Christ, shut up and come here." Peter growled as he lifted me bridal style once again and walked towards the door, kicking the automatic door button with his foot. **

**"****You know if I didn't know better I'd say you liked carrying me around like this." I said trying to hide my smile as he glared at me and huffed. **

**"****Hush up, pretend to sleep there is a security guard and I think we'd both rather avoid questions and put your arm over my shirt so he doesn't see it's ripped." Peter whispered in my ear his scruff rubbing against my ear, I almost giggled at the feeling because the combined sensation of his breath tickled but I managed to catch myself beforehand. **

**"****Mr. Hale, is she okay?" the guard asked through an encase window.**

**"****Yeah, she just fell asleep in the car. Can you buzz me in Richard I can't reach my keys." Peter said in such a polite voice that I literally had to bury my face into his neck to hide my snort. **

**"****Sure, no problem Peter; poor girl looks exhausted. Is she your girlfriend, because you're one lucky man; she's beautiful." the elderly guard asked buzzing Peter in and I smiled at the sweet old man's words; it was rare I was complimented politely like this man just did. **

**"****Yes I am. Good night Richard and be sure to say hello to your beautiful wife Emily." Peter said pushing the elevator button and stepping in. As soon as the doors closed I looked at Peter with a raised eyebrow as he looked at the floor numbers above the door ignoring me; even though I was in his arms. **

**"****You can put me down you know, even werewolves get tired." I said quietly hoping he'd put me down and I wouldn't feel like I owed him so much; I really hated being indebted to anyone especially him.**

**"****I'm fine, but can you get my keys from my pocket?" Peter said with a mischievous grin and smiling at me all too sweetly. Yeah now I know why he was still holding me; men they're all perverts!**

**"****Seriously?! How dumb do you think I am? You can get them yourself and put me down." I said crossing my arms and giving him my best displeased look, but honestly it was kind of funny so I wasn't actually mad.**

**"****I carry you all the way here and you can't even help me to get my keys?" Peter said goading me to do it; apparently I wasn't immune to his charming self because seconds later I found myself gliding my hand down his torso and into his front pocket searching for the keys.**

**"****There not in here?" I said feeling around the pocket using my nails to scrape his leg as I brought my hand back out of his pocket; making him tense up. Two could play at that game Hale, I thought smirking to myself.**

**"****Oh how silly of me; they're right here in my hand." Peter said smiling fully as he walked out the elevator still holding me and heading to the penthouse suit; she forgot how rich he truly was.**

April was placed on her feet while Peter opened his door and stepped into his home. It was meticulously cleaned to the point that April felt bad stepping into the room as dirty as she was. Her home was clean, but this; this was just ridiculous! It looked like a cover of one of those home magazines; the expensive ones. It made sense if April thought about it, Peter was always well dressed and had an air of modernity to him; his home was no different. She limped over the thresh hold and into the living room, it was modern but also had a very classic feel to it; it was gorgeous. She wondered if everything in the condo was like this.

**"****I'm going to get changed and get a bag ready; I'll be just a minute." Peter said walking away and leaving me to explore.**

April most certainly wouldn't be making herself at home any time soon, not only because her clothes were filthy and she also loved what looked like a handmade Italian leather sofa. She went to the bookshelf slowly and browsed his books; he had a few classics, motorcycle books and a few other stereotypical guy books; nothing that screamed I'm a serial killer, beware! What caught her attention was a children's treasury; it must have been at least 50 years old since it was leather bound. It was gorgeous she delicately grabbed it from the shelf and smelt it; she had loved the smell of old books since before she could remember. April put the book back gingerly and headed towards the kitchen, to get a glass of water and of course to do a bit more snooping into Peter's home. His kitchen was that of a professional chef, even April didn't have such a nice kitchen and she designed it herself! It was perfectly set up stove right near a sink and a ton of counter space, her kitchen was older fashioned and she loved it, but this; this was jaw dropping.

** "****Fuck!" I said a little more loudly than anticipated when my leg bumped into the counter corner. I shook it off and continued my exploration of his kitchen but Peter must have heard me because he walked out hurriedly and looked me up and down obviously expecting me to be dying or something but instead found gaping at his kitchen; and then worse yet at him! Peter came out with his shirt off and black jeans loosely straddling his hips. The man was pure eye candy; I'm so never living this ogling down I thought as I closed my mouth and limped backwards to lean against the counter.**

** "****Yes I cook, what did you think I did? Eat bunny rabbits?Honestly do you think you can stay out of trouble for five minutes!" Peter said rolling his eyes and starting to head back towards his room when we both saw my hip was beginning to bleed slightly through the gauze. I unbuttoned my pants hoping that maybe it would help not rub so much. **

** "****I realise I'm good looking but I didn't realise it would make you take your pants off." Peter said smiling so his dimples showed more prominently and chuckling just to make me feel even more idiotic about unbuttoning my jeans in front of him.**

** "****Hahaha very funny; my pants are making my wound bleed; ass." I said wincing as I buttoned them up again and they cut into the stitches. **

** "****Stop; come on we'll find something in my closet for you to wear." Peter said groaning as he saw the blood coming through the gauze as I had lifted my shirt. **

** "****Its fine I can wait till I get home." I said not wanting to get his clothes dirty or really to change in front of him once again. **

** "****Yeah so you can tear the stitches out and bleed out; you have two options come willingly or I'll drag you into my room and dress you myself." Peter said with an evil grin; can see now why everyone hates the guy! I limped past him slowly grumbling to myself, which I'm sure he heard most of the insults but I was annoyed that in this state I was no match to him. **

His room was large but actually quite inviting; the bed was warm brown and had mossy green blankets and pillows. There was a fireplace making it feel warm and inviting unlike most of the other rooms which were almost sterile and were only meant to be in a magazine; his bedroom was something April or anyone would want to snuggle into with a good book. His closet was bigger than Aprils but well organised which she admired; most guys had their stuff thrown on the floor.

** "****Please tell me this is for a costume and not a daily jacket." I said pulling out a leather cape like jacket that basically screamed I'm a bad guy come back with me to my crypt!**

** "****That's completely fashionable I'll have you know!" Peter said annoyed as he hung it back up but in a more discreet location.**

** "****Sure if you're Dracula!' I said trying to hide my laugh under a fake cough, which only made me receive a curled lip and another eye roll. **

** "****Here this should work." Peter said pulling out a long dress shirt and tossing it in my face.**

** "****What you don't have track pants?" I said looking at the shirt that would be like a mini dress on me. **

** "****Nothing I have will fit you, I'm six foot you're what maybe five foot five? I don't need you tripping and breaking the other hip." He said exasperated with my time wasting. His patience had clearly run out for the evening. **

** "****Can I at least get privacy or do you think I'll somehow be smothered by your Dracula cape?" I sarcastically snapped out, tapping my foot for good measure as he exited his own closet with a curled lip. **

** "****Can I ask you a question?" I said when I finished dressing and came out of the closet to see Peter zipping up an overnight bag.**

** "****You just did. Let's go." Peter said throwing the bag over his shoulder and walking out of the room; so much for the nice Peter she'd seen all night. He was ignoring her like she never existed; even when she asked for a plastic bag, well two could play at the ignoring game!**

April didn't ask anything further; actually she didn't speak at all. She was mad; yes she had been a bit bitchy to a guy who wasn't used to playing nice but still nothing she did could explain his sudden mood swing. Honestly the man was moodier than a pregnant woman! April walked through the pain and although the shirt was definitely better than her pants had been which she now carried in a plastic bag; it was sheer irritation with the man which allowed her to press onwards. As they got down to the lobby, April shot out of the elevator first, not caring about Richard the security guard or what he'd think of when he saw her half-dressed; if anything it probably just looked like a lovers quarrel. April got to her truck but Peter was still faster at his nonchalant pace that he was there to open the door for her; she didn't say thank you even though her polite mannerisms yelled at her to. She gave silent commands to get to her home but other than that the vehicle was dead silent, only the humming of her engine was heard on the ten minute drive. It was that silence and her head on the cool window that made her drift in and out of sleep, only pain was keeping her awake.

**"****April…April! Sweetheart we're at your house you need to wake up I can't get in!" Peter said nudging my shoulder till I woke up from a half sleep; I really only caught the last few words but I could have sworn he called me sweetheart.**

** "****Yeah, Yeah I'm up. Sorry. You can't get in because it's built with mountain ash; I need to go in first." I mumbled sleepily as I slipped out of the truck; but as soon as my foot hit the ground I moaned in pain as the pain meds were officially out of my system. **

** "****I'm guessing that means the pain meds have worn off." Peter said calmly as he helped me off my truck and steadied me to a standing position. **

** "****What gave it away? I'll be fine, just give me a second." I said taking in a breath and controlling my mind so I could manage the pain. I walked to my door and opened it, suddenly all the hairs on my body stood on edge; someone was in my house, the mountain ash was disturbed.**

** "****You okay, you're heart beat just sped up; last time it did that you got stabbed." Peter said with a little bit of amusement in his voice, not realising we weren't alone. As he stood beside me and looked at my face he instantly knew something was wrong and not with me physically. **

** "****Something is in or was in my house." I whispered to him, I grabbed my blade from my bag that Peter was holding and stepped inside. **

** "****How have you survived so long? You can't wait two seconds for me to look around so your pathetically injured self doesn't get killed!" Peter said is such a tone that made me halt and raise an eyebrow; it almost sounded like concern for me in his voice. **

** "****Fine oh wolfy one; go and check it out but if it's who I think it is, not even your alpha strength will be able to help you." I said crossing my arms and showing him this was no joking matter.**

** "****Let me check out the camera feed." I said fighting to keep my heart rate its normal rhythm; I was running on pure adrenaline now which menat I wasn't as sharp as I should have been; I was scared that my hunch was right. **

** "****You have your entire house on camera? Paranoid much?" Peter whispered tilting his head in question. **

** "****We just fought off an army of mercenaries trying to kill us earlier this evening and I have a werewolf beside me; I think I'm paranoid just enough, thank you very much." I said cynically as I flipped through the camera feed for outside and inside the house; that's when I saw it. **

** "****Who is that?" Peter asked his claw tapping on the monitor that showed a figure in the kitchen moving towards us.**

** "****I'm Erik Managarm; I think the better question is; what is a werewolf doing with my sister?" Erik said walking out of the shadows like a nightmare coming to life. **


	15. Chapter 15

_~Author's Note~ Hey everyone I'd like to firstly thank everyone for their continuing support! It has been great to write a story that people are actually enjoying! I know this chapter is short and I edited it after publishing it but I needed it to be for the upcoming ones, please let me know what you think of the story so far! Oh and if you have any guesses who the big bad is, let me know ;) ~_

** "****Actually I'm pretty sure an even better question is; what are you doing in April's house?" Peter said sardonically as his eyebrows raised in an expectant manner. I looked at Peter like he had actually lost his mind; my brother was not one to take mocking well but definitely not from anyone who was even civil to me!**

**"****April please remove this mutt from my sight; I have family matters to discuss with you. I'd rather not get my hands dirty with this one's guts." Erik said matter-of-factly as he ignored Peter's question. Peter's entire person changed to one that wanted to attack; I grabbed his forearm and gave him a silent signal that he'd be no match for him; but I would be if it killed me. **

** "****Family matter? You and I have not spoken in fifteen fucking years! So 'brother' I'd talk fast before I kick you out of MY house!" I said icily and coming in front of Peter and glaring with such ferocity even Erik seemed unnerved. **

**"****I'd think carefully how you spoke to me, little sister." Erik said in his unbearably superior tone.**

** "****Oh for the love of god; just tell me why you are here Erik! I'm tired and honestly your voice just irritates me." I said as I felt a dizzy spell pass over me; I knew it was there because of the pain and exhaustion. I was too tired to deal with this nightmare properly or kick his ass like I'd wanted to do years prior. **

** "****Sweetheart I think you'd better sit down, and your brother here can tell you whatever it is he came here to say." Peter said wrapping his hand around my waist and squeezing me lightly with his hands to keep me focused and standing up straight.**

** "****I see you have yourself another man under your spell. I wonder what the allure of a Runt is? Do you suppose it's a death wish or a kink for torture?" Erik said with smarmy malevolence that boiled my blood to a new hatred; he had always known what buttons to push to make me lose control but I would no longer lower myself to his level. I took a breath and walked normally towards my kitchen flicking on the lights as I went, my level of control seeming to shock both Peter and Erik.**

** "****I'd offer you coffee but really I'd rather you just left." I said as I sat down and finally took my first relaxed breath as my hip was no longer pounding.**

** "****Fine, I'll get to the point. The packs need your help; we are being hunted down by werewolf hunters led by a man going by the name of 'L'épéé d'argent'. He's using tape cassettes' to give orders and where to find us, they know all our plays they know exactly where we live; we've been betrayed." Erik said in an accusatory tone; showing my photos of the dead pack members and a cassette he had found on one of the dead hunters. **

** "****So what, you think I'm involved somehow? Or do you think I was compromised after a lifetime of loyalty?" I said angrily knowing he wasn't here to ask for help but rather accusing me of betraying those I once loved or worse killing innocent people for the heck of it.**

** "****I don't know, but my wife is missing and I'm here to get answers." Erik said curling his lip and letting his eyes grow red in threat. **

** "****Considering little miss teacher here is helping a bunch of werewolves at the moment; your theory seems highly unlikely. I thought my siblings hated me, yours are a whole new box of crazy." Peter muttered in a bored tone as he crossed his arms and leaned on my pantry. Yes my family was wacko, pointing it out to them really wouldn't help any Peter, I thought to myself with an internal eye roll. **

** "****Yes but she was a raving lunatic for a while there, so I'm curious did you kidnap my wife as revenge?" Erik said making sure to bring up my past to Peter as if it would throw him off or maybe make him leave; thankfully Peter did none of the above. **

** "****Erik I made my peace with you a long time ago. You may be a cold bastard who likes to use people's emotional pressure points for fun; but even you wouldn't have done what father did to me. So let us be clear I DID NOT kidnap your wife, nor WOULD I EVER harm Sarah, she unlike you actually visited me while I lay dying in a hospital bed; I respect her too much to harm her. Oh and another thing, these cassettes are the same one used by our benefactor, so my guess is it's the same man who calls himself the Silver Sword. Now get the fuck out of my house!" I said ushering him out the back door, for I was done bowing down to a family who would never even liked me let alone liked my existence on this planet.**

** "****We are not finished here, little sister. You will help me find my wife or I'll…" Erik began to threaten but was stopped when my blade coming to his throat. **

** "****I think the lady wishes you to leave." Peter said his eyes glowing red as he stood beside me and began changing his features to those of his animalistic form. **

** "****You are making a big mistake threatening me you pathetic Runt! How dare you use our mother's blade against me!" Erik yelled as his eyes glowed and came closer to me pushing the blade in his skin so a trickle of blood streamed down his Adam's apple. **

** "****Erik, I am not the one who came against a Druid councils' agreement tonight; I am not threatening you yet, I only wish for you to leave my territory! You're missing your wife I get that, but I did not take her. Think for just a moment above your hatred for me; if I wanted revenge I would have killed your first born child, or I would have tortured you the same way I was. Killing a bunch of innocent people; is NOT me. If I find anything about Sarah I will get word to you, but until then just please leave me alone; I think you owe me at least that much." I said lowering the blade and shaking my head at him in disappointment; after everything that had happened to us and between us, he still hadn't changed at all. **

** "****Indeed; then I shall take my leave dear sister. Please do call me if you find anything, I'd hate to see another misfortune befall you again. Nice meeting you Mr. Hale." Erik said with a wave and a slithering walk out into the dusk of the new day. Her brother always knew how to make an exit like a bond villain. **

** "****How did he know who I was?" Peter said instantly as my brother left grabbing the blade away making it clang onto the floor.**

** "****Because he's the sovereign alpha of the northern pack, and the Hale pack is the most influential in this area; I'm guessing it was more so because you smell of alpha. So if you don't mind I'd like my arm back or would you like to threaten my life so more this evening?" I asked looking at Peter who was slowly turning his features back to human form.**

** "****I see now how you could become a killer assassin; I'd want to kick his ass too." Peter said smirking and making me smile for what seemed like the first time in a lifetime. **

** "****Thanks, but honestly right now all I want to do is go to bed." I said through a yawn and my eyes sagging as I dragged my ass off the stool I was sitting on. **

** "****Well you do look ready for bed in my shirt." Peter said with a mischievous grin on his face as he stepped towards her. **

** "****Seriously I am too tired for your innuendo or smart ass remarks! So help me get upstairs, you go to the spare room and then I will drift off from this never ending nightmare." I snapped with frustration for I couldn't be alone with this overwhelming need to cry myself to sleep since I was weak and injured. Erik's visit truly shook me to my core and all I wanted in that moment was to forget about my crappy evening.**

** "****Alright where is it?" Peter said sighing and walking towards my fridge. I looked at him in confusion, what on earth was this man talking about now.**

** "****What the hell are you talking about? Where is what?" I said feeling utterly drained for the night and his idiotic questions. **

** "****Hmmm, I figured you were a cookie dough type; but mint chip is fine too." Peter said extracting my tub of ice cream from the freezer and two spoons from the dish rack. I laughed outright but it came out all snively and weepy. I tried to hide it behind a cough, but it was no use; Peter tilted his head as he drew near me and with the crook of his index finger wiped the stray tear that fell down my cheek. **

** "****Give me that, and you're right I am a cookie dough girl; but apparently so is your daughter. She ate my entire stash while she was over." I said grabbing the tub of mint chip then limping past him and opening the cupboard to grab pain meds, chocolate syrup and the bottle of mint Bailey's liqueur. Yep I had a nightmarishly long night and it was going to need booze, pills and ice cream with a ton of chocolate on it. **

** "****Should I be concerned that you may be going on a bender?" Peter asked still holding the spoons in one hand while I juggled the rest.**

** "****Everyone needs to let off a little steam and seeing as I can't beat the crap out of anyone; ice cream it is." I said limping towards him and almost falling flat on my face but thankfully he caught me and I kept everything in my arms. **

** "****Well let's go eat some ice cream then." Peter said lifting me slightly so I could hobble along to the couch. **

April went to the couch and poured the syrup on her ice cream and took a handful of pills with a swig of the Bailey's liqueur. Peter just watched her like she was about to grow another head or worse turn into a weepy little child; she most certainly wasn't doing the latter, the first well who knows. April poured the remainder of the half empty bottle of Bailey's on the mint chip ice cream and the passed it to Peter; who looked utterly disgusted with her concoction. April laughed outright at his face; he wasn't afraid or her brother but ice cream fully loaded he looked like he was going to run away screaming.

**"****You've faced werewolves that can morph into one another and yet I'm pretty sure your testicles just ran away screaming from a carton of ice cream!" I said laughing while holding my sides.**

** "****There isn't a power in this world that could make me eat whatever the hell you're trying to pass off as food." Peter said pushing the carton of ice cream away from him and giving me a scowl. **

** "****Fine, more for me then" I said with a smile as I licked my spoon clean of minty goodness. **

** "****How long has it been since you saw him?" Peter asked after a few moments of silence and me finally relaxing into the couch; well until now. **

** "****Fifteen years; the last time I saw him it was the day my father died." I said remembering only my sheer fury that I couldn't do more to the bastard who killed my mate and child.**

** "****A girl with daddy issues I guess you aren't that unique after all." Peter said slowly getting off the couch to grab his bag. **

** "****Guess not, the guest bedroom is the third door on the left." I said not wanting to be questioned further; letting Peter think I was ordinary as possible would be for the best. **

** "****People, who say they are average, are usually the ones who aren't." Peter said putting his bag over his shoulder and giving me a hand.**

** "****Wow that was deep; read it on the back of a greeting card?" I said feistily, making him sigh loudly and roll his eyes. **

** "****Even half asleep, dressed in nothing but my shirt; you still sass me. You either have no fear or that concussion is starting to affect your ability for common sense." Peter said looking at me as I came to realise what a mess I actually was; here I was sitting in my house in Peter Hale's shirt of all people, face covered in ice cream and still on the verge of tears. I needed sleep; badly!**

** "****It's in my nature." I said solemnly, it was my nature to always have a life in shambles it seemed. Apparently my words struck a chord in Peter because his face showed a second of an emotion I had never seen before; empathy. **

** "****Let's go to bed, tomorrow will deal with the world." Peter said helping me up and picking me up into his arms once again; I almost hoped it wouldn't be for the last time as I breathed in his warm honeyed scent and leaned my weary head on his shoulder. **

April didn't remember going to bed nor did she remember she was hurt until she shifted onto her bad hip and almost screamed; tears streamed down her face while she tried to compose herself. She rolled on to her good side and grabbed her phone and checked the time; it was 10am, she hadn't slept that late in years. She had fought a bunch of mercenaries, taught Scott McCall one of the worst lessons a person can learn about life; that evil truly did exist. April sighed and remembered how the knife went through her flesh like it was a toothpick going through thanksgiving turkey; she remembered Melissa's and Isaac's fear and pity. April remembered her vile brother's visit and how he tormented her with her past. She began remembering his visit beyond their fucked up relationship; he was being attacked by a man with cassettes, someone who knew the inner workings of the werewolf community, someone who called himself not only the Benefactor; but the Silver Sword. She needed to go to the basement and figure out who this creep was before anyone else got hurt!


	16. Chapter 16

After letting the last few days wash over her; April tried to remember more of how she got to bed and why she couldn't remember anything after the ice cream and booze. Her head spun as she tried to sit up, she turned to her side table waste basket and puked in it. If she didn't know any better she would swear she was hung-over, but she did know better Runts couldn't get drunk; she was drugged. April called out for Peter as she tried to stand, even in a drugged state she should be able to shake it off enough to stand; she wasn't though. She made a grab for her phone and checked the calendar through bleary eyes; it was a full moon tonight. April was not only weak because of the drugs coursing through her veins but because of her own transformation day.

April knew who had drugged her, it was her brother; only he knew about her vulnerability on a full moon. He must have drugged her with something when he was here last night; the pain pills she took must have been laced with something else. It was why April slept through the night and more importantly now could barely stand without retching or becoming dizzy. I texted what I hoped was Melissa McCall and told her to come quickly with something to flush out drugs. She was the only person I trusted in my weakened state. I finally crawled towards the guest bedroom, it was destroyed; the dresser mirror was cracked and the entire room was broken into pieces as if a battle had ensued in it. Ten minutes later April finally got the balance to stand up and yet again yelled for Peter. Her cat was the only one to come to her aid. Archie looked at her with a concerned look and purring around her ankles she bent to pet him; it was a HUGE mistake. Archie meowed very loudly and bit her but it was no use; the room began to spin out of control April blacked out and fell down the stairs.

**"****Will she be okay? She should have woken up by now!" Isaac said in a freaked out tone. **

** "****I don't know Isaac; she's not going through the drip as fast as she normally would. Her body is reacting like she's human; maybe we should call Derek or Scott." Melissa said as I groaned awake; I didn't need any more people knowing how weak I am on full moons. **

** "****I told you not to go home with a lunatic!" Isaac said as I opened my eyes and rubbed them till I could see his fuzzy outline.**

** "****Isaac, be quiet! April how are you doing? Can you tell me what happened here?" Melissa said as helped me sit up from my own couch. **

** "****How long have I been out?" I asked croakily.**

** "****You've been out for about an hour since you texted me. April it took about 4 saline bags to flush whatever was in your system; your natural healing process should have done it with just one, at the very most! What the hell is going on?" Melissa said crossing her arms and giving me her worried mom glare. **

** "****I'll tell you everything but first, have either of you seen or heard from Peter?" I asked looking between them, their eyes met mine with anger and confusion; they were both curious why I would be concerned with Peter. Of course they thought he had done this to me or just left me alone; they would always think the worse of him, and she understood why.**

** "****No, but why do you care he left you while you were injured and then drugged you! Christ you can't possibly be this messed up!" Isaac said standing up and hovering over me; this kid I may like but he was really starting to piss me off. **

** "****Actually I can kid, so listen very carefully to me; you think being locked up in a freezer by your father is bad. That's child play, compared to the hell my father put me through! I wasn't drugged by Peter Hale! That was done by my loving brother; I know because he's the only person other than Deaton who knows about the effect of a full moon on a Runt! Oh and did I mention he broke into my home last night, just in case you think I'm infatuated with Peter Hale and protecting him; why don't you check the spare room upstairs!" I yelled as I stood with the sheer momentum of my anger, to a wide eyed Isaac; he was afraid but also ashamed. He did however leave to check upstairs; Melissa gave me a glare of her own, internally screaming disappointment. **

** "****Feel better now? Did yelling at him make you feel like you accomplished something? I sure hope it did, because you just told him his abuse was nothing! I don't care if you did have it worse, all abuse is traumatic and you're not excused more because worse happened to you!" Melissa hissed at me, I knew Isaac would hear her just as easily as I could. Melissa stomped off to the kitchen where I heard her loudly mumbling to herself. Isaac came down the stairs with a sad look on his face keeping his eyes glued to the floor; damn I was an insensitive asshole! **

** "****Well I guess you should take back that comment about me being a good mom…Isaac I'm really sorry, Melissa was right. It's just my brother's visit and his drugging me, well I know it's no excuse but I am sorry for yelling at you and I'm sorry for what I said. I don't like being vulnerable, I'm no good at it; can you forgive me?" I asked looking up at him as I plopped slowly onto the couch exhausted from all the excitement and well just being a regular human. **

** "****Tell me…tell me what he did to you…tell me why your own brother would drug you; and why today, when werewolves are their strongest; you are whatever you are right now." Isaac said slowly as he came towards me. I couldn't tell him what the truth; I hadn't told anyone and I wouldn't burden a young boy with my story nor did I believe I could relive it. It was better if no one knew, I was better off alone.**

** "****Isaac, maybe one day I'll tell you; but today isn't that day. Look you can be mad at me all you want, but I can't tell you everything right now. However I will divulge one secret, something only my siblings, father and Deaton knew; why for one day a year I'm human. I have been like this since the day I was born, every full moon while my family changed into wolves the size of bloody bears I turned into a weak sickly child; like all the human frailties I normally would have had somehow come to a head on the day of the full moon. Kicker is I am like that even without the full moon anywhere in sight. The only two people alive who know are Deaton and my two brothers; well and now you and Melissa." I said looking at Melissa who seemed to have also forgiven me for my outburst of rage. **

** "****You know it's kind of hard to trust a person whose got so many secrets; and yet somehow I do. Either you are a really good liar or I'm a sucker for pretty brunette teachers." Isaac said lightening the mood and making Melissa scowl a disapproving look at Isaac; who just smiled even brighter. **

** "****I'm actually blonde." I said making both Melissa and Isaac look at me as I raised my shoulders in a dismissive gesture. **

** "****Any other secrets we should know about? Or is that it?" Melissa said crossing her arms and tapping her foot giving both of us a motherly look. I almost laughed outright, she did realise I was the same age as her right?**

** "****Oh my cat turns into a panther every blue moon…just kidding!" I said laughing at both their shocked faces as I put my hands up in surrender. **

** "****So Peter, he really didn't do this to you?" Melissa said bringing us all back down to earth and the important issues. **

** "****No, and I'm afraid my brother probably took him. Which isn't good, I'm going to have to go rescue Hale, I'm sure knowing my brother he left a note somewhere, Isaac can you sniff out something that doesn't belong to me?" I asked looking at him inquisitively. **

** "****I don't know, I'm not a hound dog!" Isaac said defensively as he crossed his arms and stood up.**

** "****Melissa can you unhook the IV's? I really do hate them." I asked lifting my hand as she came over and did that; Isaac stayed in the corner of the room huffing in irritation. **

** "****April, if you truly are human, you can't go rushing out and rescue Peter by just you; I'm going to call Scott and Derek." Melissa said standing up and grabbing her phone. **

** "****Don't; I can't let anyone get hurt because of my family. My brother won't hurt me; much." I said mumbling the last word underneath my breath.**

** "****Seriously he just drugged and kidnapped your…friend, isn't the right word here…the point is your brother has already hurt you so I'm calling backup!" Melissa said haughtily as she placed her hands on her hips to lecture me. **

** "****My brother's wife was kidnapped, he took Peter as his way to cope; and drugging me is like a prank in my family. We can't have other werewolves involved in the rescue; he'll see it as an attack and will kill anyone involved and make it look like child's play. I will go alone, I'm sure I can track him down; but first Isaac I'm going to teach you, how you put it; be a blood hound." I said standing up and walking towards Isaac who looked more scared I'd pass out than fear of what I was about to teach him.**

** "****No offense but how are you going to teach me something you can't even do yourself?" Isaac said looking confused and as if he was confident I'd fail; obviously this boy wasn't paying close attention in class, I can teach anything.**

** "****Firstly those who can't do, teach. Secondly I was brought up in one of the oldest and wisest werewolf packs on the planet, so I picked up a trick or two. Thirdly I may be human at the moment but normally even my nose can pick up a strong scent." I said bringing up my hand to count out my valid points on my fingers. **

** "****Fine oh wise one, teach me." Isaac said in a mock bow and a sarcastic raised eyebrow. **

** "****First drop the sass, I may be human but I'll still kick your ass. Second, close your eyes." I said coming closer to him and making him shift foot to foot anxiously. **

** "****Isaac relax, I promise you'll like this." I circled around him to waft my scent around him, quickening my pace slightly so I created a breeze to make sure all Isaac could smell was me. Then as he relaxed more I slowed and moved as close as possible without touching him; this would be the part the boy would like, and I'd get a good chuckle out of. To get a complete scent, smelling a pulse point is the only way to do it. Only those who are above strong werewolves can generate a complex scent of a creature, enough that they can actually see it; I believed Isaac had it in him to do it. **

** "****Are you supposed to be so…ummm…close?" Isaac stuttered out, I knew it was awkward for him, which made it all the more funny for me; what can I say I enjoyed making the kid squirm with sexual frustration. **

** "****Yes, now don't open your eyes, until I tell you to. Smell me here." I said letting my hand travel through his boyish curls and gripping them tightly to turn his head towards my wrist (normally I'd get family to smell my neck since it was a stronger pulse but even I wouldn't make Isaac that uncomfortable or me for that matter); he gasped lightly and sniffed my wrist. **

** "****Now, you can open your eyes." I said as I stepped back and let him see my scent; not just any werewolf can do it only those who can control their wolf side. I wasn't able to see but I could normally smell much better after smelling someone's pulse point. **

** "****You; what…am I seeing you?!" Isaac said obviously struggling with the concept of seeing a scent. **

** "****Yes, most werewolves can't do this, only those who have a strong connection to their werewolf side can. I don't even think Scott could do it, although he is a true alpha he is ruled by his human heart; you are ruled by both." I said smiling that he was so happy he could do more with his were abilities; Deaton had told me about when Isaac had discovered the ability to heal and his reaction then. This was probably as close as I'd ever be to seeing that reaction of awe and happiness. **

** "****Not to kill the mood but can you sense something off, you can probably sense Peter's scent since it's his shirt I'm still wearing; now find the scent that doesn't belong to Melissa, Peter, Archie or you. " I said guiding him through his new sense.**

** "****I see it, it looks like swamp colour, like a muddy green. It's similar to yours but dull and murky." Isaac said walking towards the front door and opening the closet. There pinned to my coat was a note signed with my brother's signature. **

** "****Okay, now Isaac I need you to close your eyes and concentrate on seeing through human eyes." I said laying my hand on his arm and making sure he shifted out of the Were-sight. **

** "****Damn, what was that?!" Isaac said leaning on the closet door jamb and looking at his hand like it was the first time he'd seen it. **

** "****We call it the were-sight. It's been used by centuries in our family by our trackers, those who can embrace their supernatural side, without losing their humanity. Very few can master it; I'm glad I was right about you." I said simply putting my hand on his face and smiling at him. I grabbed the note and read it.**

**_My Dearest Sister,_**

******_I do apologise for the mess in your upstairs bedroom,_**

******_but I didn't realise your beloved was an Alpha. _**

**_I'm actually impressed, you may have actually found _**

**_someone worthy of the Managarm name. _**

**_I'm hoping you haven't forgotten our old ways, _**

**_come find me and we will discuss an exchange; my mate_**

**_for yours. _**

******_Erik ._**

April gave Melissa the note, and sighed; she may not like Peter but even she wouldn't let Erik have him. Isaac and Melissa both argued about either going with her or getting Scott to come with. She refused their offers, this would have to be done alone, she wasn't trying to be heroic or anything; it was simply how her family did things. The old ways dictated what happened in the family stayed in the family; otherwise it would end in bloodshed. The Viking lore was that if you weren't prepared to face an enemy one on one you were a coward and that any exchange would be destroyed. She knew he'd be somewhere close by and it would need to happen soon, if she wanted Peter in one piece; and although Isaac and Melissa said it was no loss, April couldn't leave him.


	17. Chapter 17

**"****You know you really should to get a cellphone Erik, the crows are a little archaic don't you think, brother?" I said walking slowly into the abandoned house 10 miles away into the forest behind my home. Our family had used crows to communicate, a cross between messenger pigeons and hunting hawks; wolves and crows went along like peanut butter and jelly in our family. **

** "****Don't be so brash to dismiss your history dear sister; it is what has allowed us to survive for centuries." Erik said turning towards me and allowing me to see Peter chained to the wall. The wall couldn't hold him alone, but the chains were attached to bear traps; and Peter himself looked unbelievably in bad shape. **

** "****Actually it's what has allowed you to survive I was just a tragic accident as you recall. Down to business release Peter and I'll call off the druid council; which I called before I came here tonight." I said twiddling my throwing knife through my fingers. I was bluffing, but even so threatening an alpha was dangerous grounds especially one who thought I had stolen his mate; which of course I hadn't done**

** "****You're bluffing, you wouldn't call them; you hate them more than I do. Return my wife, I know you are working with that monster; I CAN SMELL IT ON HIM!" Erik screamed; okay her brother had officially lost it! Or had he I thought, Erik would never have gone to these lengths solely for his wife, he was panicked and worse scared; Sarah was a werewolf not a porcelain doll after all so why?**

** "****Erik, for the BILLIONTH TIME I DID NOT TAKE SARAH! I swear it to you on our mother's grave; now why are you so concerned about her, she can handle herself for heaven's sake. Wait what do you mean you can smell it on Peter?" I said cautiously approaching him, putting my hands up submitting so I didn't have a fully formed werewolf on my very HUMAN hands. **

** "****SHES PREGNANT! Sarah has my first born in her womb, so excuse me for being concerned for my child, April; you of all people should know that feeling. This mutt smells like the warehouses we found some of the hunters in. It's faint but still there!" Erik said as whirled around and jabbed Peter with an electric prod. Peter groaned and fell to the ground, twitching even after Erik moved the prod away; the voltage must be high enough to kill. Peter looked utterly disgusting and I instantly felt guilt for my part in his treacherous torture. **

** "****Look I'd love to be the helpful volunteer, but I didn't take your wife! Actually I've never even met your wife!" Peter said through groans and gasps of breath. **

** "****ERIK! He knows nothing! I swear it on Robert's grave" I yelled as Erik and put my body in between the two men. Erik's eyes grew wide, at that oath, and he took a step back. **

** "****You have two minutes." Erik said his eye glowing blood red as his nostrils flared. Erik was 6 foot 3 with gleaming blonde hair looking like our true ancestors should. He was intimidating on a good day; now he reminded me of why I feared him most out of my siblings. His emotions were never quite in check.**

** "****Erik, Peter is practical; he is the epitome of self-serving, so why would a man such as that withstand torture, if he knew where your wife was? You said you smelt this Silver Sword on him, are you sure it's him? You speak of our old ways; did you verify it with your were-sight? Yes, I figured you didn't, go ahead and try it." I said knowing that Peter was actually innocent; apparently Erik was shocked to realise his little pathetic sister was right.**

** "****Erik, I know you think I took your wife, but I didn't; I have no reason to especially if she was pregnant. I would never put Sarah through the same hell I went through. I know who did this though; and if I'm correct it will explain everything, even why you thought the Silver Swords scent was all over Peter; but first you need to let him go, you need to give him back to me." I said very quietly trying to keep myself calm even when my heart rate wasn't (one of the many problems of a full moon, can't control my heart rate or emotions as I would normally). **

** "****Fine, I give you my word as alpha you will have him back alive, but first answer me." Erik said going to the sole chair in the room and sitting down like it was his thrown. **

** "****As you are aware, hunters have been around as long as we have; in particular the Argent Family. However what you aren't aware of is that the branch that has been living in Beacon Hills for the past few decades has deviated from their mission; they attacked the Hale family about 7 years ago, unprovoked." I started, hoping Erik would see the truth in my words. It was what took me so long after Melissa and Isaac had left; discovering who the true Benefactor was, aka the Silver Sword. **

** "****I know all this April, Kate Argent burned the innocent Hale pack in their home. What does this have to do with the man who aliases as the Silver Sword." Erik said losing his patients and glaring at me through his blood coloured eyes. **

** "****Yes, but what you didn't know was that Peter here slashed her throat out turning her into a were-jaguar. A Nagual, a shape shifter; you know as well as I, they are unpredictable creatures on the best day. You also don't know that Peter here has been working with her over the last few months to help her find control and so he could find his stolen millions" I said looking at Peter shaking my head, when he found out it was her who did it he was going to be pissed; with a capitol P. **

** "****So this Nagual has my wife or is this some stalling technique to save your beloved!" Erik said his eyes glowing with inpatients. **

** "****He's not my beloved for Christ sakes! Think Erik! Why would a scent smell similar to one you found in a known location of this Silver Sword? Why would Peter a self-preserving alpha take your wife? It doesn't add up. You know what does add up? Hmmm…. A woman coming back from the dead just at the same moment the Dead pool in Beacon Hills is activated. A woman who may I remind you is known for her hatred for werewolves, and a woman who is also the daughter of a known hunter who has no morals but to kill us; Gerard Argent." I said in a longwinded speech; I had figured it out when I looked at the old library records; Lydia Martins grandmother was in league with Gerard while she tried to figure out what she was. Gerard had been planning this for years or even decades; he wanted the were-species extinct by any means necessary, he wanted to have power. **

** "****So that's why you smell of him; his daughter! That bastard will pay!" Erik said in such a tone of fury I shivered in fear. I looked at Peter hanging from two **

** "****Let him go Erik, we both know I can't release him in my weakened state." I said looking at the chained mechanisms in place that kept Peter captive. As I said this Peter quickly glanced up at me in curiosity; he scanned me from head to toe and seemed even more confused. **

As soon as Erik broke the chains with sheer force from his pent up wrath; April ran to catch Peter. The man weighed as much as a ton of bricks and it took all of April's human strength to keep him from falling head first into the ground; she recognised some of his injuries and empathised with his pain even if he would heal most likely by the end of the night. Erik asked if she knew where Gerard was hiding, she simply told him the truth; she hadn't a clue. However she did tell him he had been to the hospital that had been caring for him and was told his daughter had released him; she told the nurses they were going to Mexico for a new medical study which would cure him of the black goo that continued to ooze from his orifices. April recognised the symptoms as those of the 'black bite'; a torture technique their family had used on a few humans over the centuries. It was when an Alpha bit a human filled with mountain ash; in this case it was Derek who bit Gerard. April wondered if the tale Kate told the nurses had a ring of truth but she figured she wouldn't tell Erik this because he would go in there kill first and ask questions later; as her family did so often in the past. Erik told her he'd begin looking and that if they found anything about Sarah he was to be informed immediately; she agreed but only because his claws were wrapped around her throat, he never gave her the choice to do otherwise.

Her brother left promptly after that and told her to set fire to the warehouse; she would always be beneath him, nothing more than a servant to clean up after his mess. She dragged Peter's half unconscious form to her truck and had to push him with all her might to get him in to the bed of her truck. She bent to grab Peter's hand, which was obviously chopped off sometime in the torture; the fingers all seemed broken and out of place too. Erik was always a master at torture. April took his hand and placed it beside Peter, and then went back into the building pouring gasoline and lighting a match far enough away so she could limp away without being caught in the blaze herself. When she got to her truck Peter already looked better and was at least able to sit up in the truck, she wrapped a blanket around him and then promptly texted Melissa and Isaac that she was okay; they asked if she needed their help she refused it, Peter didn't need to be seen like this by people who already hated him. She started her truck and drove promptly home; she prayed no cops would stop her on the way. When she arrived at her house, she exhaustedly went to the bed of her truck and helped Peter out; he groaned but at least this time he was able to walk without April half carrying him. April was dead tired; it was on sheer stubbornness that she walked without stumbling. When she got into the house she went directly to the basement despite Peter's protests; he may have wanted to sit but hell would freeze over before his bloodied and sweaty body went anywhere near her new leather couch. When April got downstairs she placed Peter in a chair inside the shower; he was going to need to be cleaned up and sewn back together. First; pain meds that Melissa had left for them.

**"****Has he always been so terrifying?" Peter said his eyes telling more than his half-hearted chuckle; they screamed actual fear. **

**"****Erik always did have a way with torture; first ants, cats, than me." I said remembering him putting me in a locker filled with spiders when I was eight; I still hated those creepy things. **

**"****Thank you, most people wouldn't give me the morphine." Peter said as I hooked him up to an IV in his good hand, which seemed to have healed itself of any serious damage. His appreciation seemed more than genuine it seemed heartfelt too.**

**"****Don't thank me yet, we still have to put this back on." I said waving his hand at him; I was thankfully used to severed body parts or this would have seriously grossed me out. **

**"****Right, remind me to shove it through his heart next time I see him." Peter all but growled out in anger; I couldn't blame him but Erik was not to be trifled with. **

**"****I'm going to set your broken fingers and realigned the joints, before sewing it back on; the less pain I can cause you the better. I don't really need you fainting; I can barely lift you when your awake never mind lift your dead weight." I said factually, trying to not let the emotions of the last few hours over take me before helping Peter; which was basically all my fault in the first place. **

**"****Firstly I think I can handle a little pain, so give me a little credit. Secondly you should be able to lift me; what did your brother do to you?" Peter said under his breath as his eyes struggled to stay open. The morphine obviously taking effect as I worked on his hand; thank god for those few pre-med classes I took otherwise this wouldn't be possible. **

**"****He drugged me, plus it's a full moon." I sighed out; I knew soon enough Peter would figure it out but I still didn't like giving him my weakness on a silver platter. **

**"****I'm guessing by the awkward pause you don't want to tell me; that's fine I was only tortured by your dear brother, I don't need an answer." Peter said in his usually manipulative way; stupid arse. **

**"****I was going to tell you, but because of that dramatic sass; I think I'll just ignore you." I said continuing to work on his hand; which was proving to be difficult because of lividity beginning to form in it. **

**"****Honestly you're acting like a child." Peter said rolling his eyes and leaning on the shower wall. Instead of responding I began whistling the jeopardy show tune; if he was going to call me a child I would fully embrace it. **

**"****There I think I've fixed all of your fingers and knuckles; even with the morphine this is going to hurt." I said as I grabbed the needle and thread to put his hand back together. **

**"****I can handle it, but it would be good to have a distraction; like say a story." Peter said charmingly, lifting his arm up for me to attach it. **

**"****Fine but if you use this against me, I'll make my brother's torture look like a walk in the park!" I said pointing his hand in his own face; to which he scowled. **

**"****I promise on my life I will not ever harm you." Peter said with such authenticity that startled me. **

**"****Well, good; I'd hate to harm that pretty face of yours." I said with a half laugh trying to ignore the fact that my heart fluttered a bit at his words. **

**"****I am handsome aren't I?" Peter said looking at his reflection of the far wall mirror cabinets. I began stitching his hand together making him grit his teeth; he didn't utter a word though.**

**"****Modest too… full moons are blessings for a fully anchored werewolf like yourself, you have control, strength and your full ability to heal; I however am the complete and utter opposite. I don't heal at all, I'm as weak as an ill child; I'm completely vulnerable on a full moon. There are very few people who know of my weakness, my siblings and father knew of course; they figured it out years ago they never said anything mostly because it showed weakness within the pack (even if they didn't see me as part of it). Which is why Erik drugged me, as you recall meds usually burn through my system fairly fast; but on a full moon that drug would course through my system for hours; well actually it would have been longer if it wasn't for Melissa and Isaac. Which reminds me you ought to thank them, if they didn't find me earlier; you'd probably be dead or worse." I said finishing up my last stitch in his hand, I grabbed the gauze and other medical supplies and started to wrap it around the now attached appendage. **

**"****Yes because I'm sure Lahey and Scott's mom ran to help me. We both know it no one would care if I died. The only one I should thank is you. So why did you save me?" Peter asked as I started to clean his other wounds with antiseptics.**

**"****Well can you blame them? You aren't exactly prince charming." I said finally finishing up with his wounds and making my way to the sink to clean my hands and throw away all the gauze and used bandages.**

**"****You didn't answer the question, April? Why did you come to save me? I doubt it was for the family reunion…you make my relationship with Derek look good." Peter said examining his other wounds as they began to heal across his torso.**

**"****Honestly what you want me to admit I don't want to see you die or be tortured; fine I'm not fond of the idea." I said testily; hating he made me say it aloud. I grabbed a large towel from the closet and thrust it into Peter's hands.**

**"****See was that so hard? It's because I'm so good looking right?" Peter said smirking that oh so annoyingly cocky grin of his. **

**"****Oh yes, that's why. I couldn't live in a world without your gorgeous mug!" I said chuckling and struggling to take the stairs as my hip was throbbing and my head was beginning to spin from the day's events.**

**"****You are a fascinating woman. You're also trying to kill yourself most times; need a hand?" Peter asked as I burst out laughing; that was the worst pun ever! Obviously Peter didn't realise he made it because he began to scowl. **

**"****What I need is a new body; this one kind of sucks." I said taking his good hand to steady myself on the first step. I rubbed my eyes; they were driving me crazy since I put my contacts in rather than wear my glasses. **

** "****Can you make it up the stairs?" Peter asked looking at me then to the staircase.**

** "****Can you?" I snapped back not liking being this vulnerable in front of anyone. Although he had healed quite a lot he still looked worse for wear, but I knew he could make it without problems. **

** "****Gorgeous, you pointed out earlier that I'm a big bad werewolf on a full moon; I think I can handle a few stairs." Peter said in a self-assured tone. **

** "****Maybe I didn't want your bloody Loup-Garou ass all over my clean house." I said folding my arms over my chest and giving him a very nasty scowl for his cockiness and his new nickname for me. Ugh the man was impossible!**

** "****Well if you wanted to see me all lathered up; all you had to do was ask." Peter said unbuttoning his jeans which were covered in dirt and blood. I quickly looked away but not before I had a good glimpse of Peter in his briefs; well now I knew the man had reason to be cocky.**

** "****I'm going to get you your bag from last night. Please try not to get your hand wet, you may be a werewolf but that hand needs to heal!" I said yawning and letting some of the anxiety of the day roll of me. I knew I'd have nightmares tonight and wondered if I'd ever get a full night's sleep again.**

** "****You staying to enjoy the show?" Peter asked as he smirked and toying with his briefs while I pulled myself slowly upwards to the first floor. **

April took a while getting all the way to the top floor, but she figured Peter would probably like a moment alone himself. She went into the spare room to grab it only to find it completely put right. The bed was remade, the broken chairs were fixed and the closet doors were put in a pile for easy disposal. She stood in awe of the room. She was dumbfounded by the sheer generosity of the simple tidying up. Tears leaked from April's eyes, and that's when the flood gates released. She slide down the wall and simply curled into a ball; she hugged her knees as tightly as she could to quiet herself. April's breaking moment wasn't a torture scene, a fight or even a tumultuous event; it was simply a kind gesture. She studied the room once she caught her breath and realised there was a note.

April,

Just letting you know the chairs might not have dried yet.

We had to glue a few pieces here and there,

So be careful not to sit on them till tomorrow.

Thought you deserved a little break from picking up the pieces.

Thanks for saving Scott and all of us.

Melissa

PS. We still haven't heard from Dr. Deaton,

but don't worry we'll find him. Please get some rest.

April smiled at the note, and looked around the room to see not only the generosity of Scott's pack but their kindness to a person like her. She wiped her eyes and walked to her bathroom, she had to get these irritating contacts out. She took them out and grabbed her glasses, the ones she actually had made for when her eyesight got worse on full moons. When she could finally see she grabbed Peter's bag and headed down the stairs, that's when a knock on the door came. April glanced out her frosted windows and saw the sheriff was there yet again. Peter came up the basement stairs with nothing but a towel wrapped around his middle and glanced at me; we both knew this wouldn't be a social call and was probably about yet another warehouse burning to the ground.

**"****Grab a shirt from my bag and throw it on! Quickly!" Peter yelled in a whispered tone, I looked at him in bewilderment; he glared at me than pointed to himself. That's when it clicked! We could be yet again one another's alibi. **

** "****Shit! Answer the door before they break it down." I hissed as quickly undressed on the landing and threw on his shirt; I pulled my hair out of its elastic and ruffled my hair into the 'post sex look'.**

** "****Sheriff, what can I do for you?" Peter said opening the door to a very shocked looking Sheriff Stilinski; which of course he tried to hide in a cough.**

** "****What are you doing here Peter?" The sheriff bit out in anger. That was my queue. **

** "****Hun, who is it?" I said sweetly coming up behind him and running my fingers through the hair on the back of his head. **

** "****Ms. Managarm; is everything ok? You're fine?" the sheriff asked trying to look behind Peter to see if I was alright, I simply moved to Peter's side. I would have laughed out loud if it wouldn't have blown our cover, because the Sheriffs face was absolutely priceless. **

**"****Yeah, couldn't be better. Anything we can do for you Sheriff?" I said smiling coyly at the officer who stood beside Stilinski. **

**"****Oh, um…Was wondering if you could tell me where you were earlier this evening?" The sheriff asked scratching the back of his neck trying to look anywhere but at the two of us. Peter may be an ass sometimes but he certainly had some good ideas, no one would ask questions when there were obvious displays of affection; public displays make people utterly uncomfortable. **

**"****We've been here all night, Sheriff…all night." Peter said looking at me with a smirk and pulling under his arm to which I snuggled into his chest. Alright maybe I was taking my acting role a little too seriously but he was so damn warm and smelled so damn good; a girl has needs you know!**

**"****What happened to your wrist?" the officer asked beside the sheriff as he nodded towards Peter's hand that I had just sewn on a half hour ago. **

**"****That was my fault; I may have tied the rope a little too tight…I still can't believe it, I really am sorry." I said with such genuine emotions; I may have been drawing from the guilt I felt for him being tortured by MY brother. Peter seemed to understand and simply smiled.**

**"****I'm not" Peter said bending down and kissing me full on the lips; all be it I was shocked for a second at Peter's display of affection but I was more shocked that I reciprocated the kiss. **

**"****Seriously, you know what I don't even want to know anymore." The sheriff said walking down my drive way as he pushed the young officer in front of him. I was seconds away from losing it, the poor sheriff looked so utterly bewildered I couldn't help but laugh; thankfully Peter put his hand over my mouth as he closed the door. **

**"****Oh come on that was hilarious!" I said looking at Peter's seriously disappointed face as I continued to laugh out loud as the headlights disappeared from my driveway. **

**"****I expected a slightly less hilarious reaction to my kissing abilities but yes his face was priceless." Peter said crossing his arms and giving me his 'I'm not impressed' face. **

**"****Awe did I hurt the big bad wolf's feelings? I promise your kissing was adequate." I said trying to control my over exhausted giggles; and kissing Peter on the cheek. **

**"****Adequate? Adequate? I know I tend to exaggerate but I am too handsome to be called adequate." Peter said just before his lips latched onto mine once again; proving that his cockiness wasn't just an act. **

Kissing Peter was spectacular, well except for the fact that April was in excruciating pain, overly exhausted and on the verge of about twenty different emotional breakdowns; that and the small detail of Peter being the local manipulative psycho! He was sexy as hell though, in the 'I'm the bad boy' kind of way; April should have known better, but his hands were everywhere and her brain was nowhere in the vicinity because of them. April didn't know what this was but it felt good and right now that's all she needed; a little goodness in her life. Peter manoeuvered her to the closed door and leaned the length of his body into hers, his body still damp from the shower. As her hands made the way up the planes of his torso, she felt his muscle ripple underneath his fingers; the man had his flaws but his physique was NOT one of them. Peter fought for dominance in the kiss, she fought back; she may have been faulted for kissing Peter in the first place but the hell she would submit to him. Their tongues, lips and hands waged war against one another, till April could no longer keep up in human form. Peter attempted to lift her but not before April whimpered as his hand pressed against her still healing wound.

** "****You win; you're fine, not adequate." I said smirking through my huffing and puffing from the heated make-out. I lied of course, Peter may have been one of the best kissers alive; but he didn't need to know that. **

** "****Lies, but I'll win you over yet." Peter said smiling and leaning his forehead against mine; apparently I had worn him out just as much as he did me. **

** "****In your dreams Hale; alright bed time for us both I think." I said slipping down the door from where I had been pressed up against on my tippy toes. **

** "****Bed? At least buy me dinner first." Peter said grinning with a rare twinkle in his eye; one he only seemed to get when arguing with me. **

** "****Hardy Har Har, you buddy are still sleeping in the spare room!" I said giving him my best disapproving teacher look. I really should have known it wouldn't affect him; he probably was just as taxing as a teenager. **

** "****Not likely." He growled out, I was expecting him to joke about or to just say some sort of innuendo; but the fact that he basically went full werewolf voice on me was completely uncalled for!**

** "****Excuse me? I may have just kissed you; but by no means does that say I'm sleeping with you! So you can get on home if you think you can tell me what to do or control my actions; with your misogynistic attitude." I said articulating every point I made by jabbing my index finger on his chest. Come hell or high water I would not be taking orders from Peter fucking Hale!**

** "****I'm going to account your current stupidity to lack of sleep and not your actual IQ; I'm sleeping beside you to protect your ass! Honestly I can barely kiss you without breaking you, you don't in good conscience think I would force myself on you tonight; did you?" Peter said in such exhausted tone that it almost sounded like hurt. I stood dumbfounded, I seriously thought he'd press the matter because by all accounts that's what my past experience said a man like Peter would do; apparently I wasn't just wrong, I was tactless a-hole! **

** "****Look I didn't mean to be a complete and utter bitch, but what can I say, it's in my nature to assume the very worst of people. I'm sorry Peter." I said genuinely sorry I had hurt this man's feelings and more importantly thought the very worst of him. I couldn't blame him for being angry, everyone always assumed the worst of him because of his past, and not that he didn't deserve that distrust; but seeing as I wasn't exactly a saint either I shouldn't have jumped the bandwagon of 'assume Peter Hale was of everything bad in this world'. **

** "****Well we're all works in progress, aren't we?" Peter said sighing and stepping away from me and going for his bag. I knew my distrust seemed to hurt him more than anyone else's, but if he knew my past he'd understand; I almost thought of telling him everything but I held back. **

** "****Yeah, look you go on up, I have a few things I need to take care of." I said yawning and making my way to the basement. I had a few last minute things I had to figure out, like where the hell Deaton was and what had happened to the rest of the meddling supernatural teens; while I had rescued Peter.**

** "****April, you are literally about to fall asleep standing up; I think whatever it is can wait." Peter said grabbing my wrist lightly with his bad hand. **

** "****Go Peter, I'll be right up. I promise." I swore knowing my last few loose ends of the day shouldn't take too long. **

** "****If you aren't upstairs in ten minutes I'm coming to get you." Peter said giving me a deadly serious look. I smiled and nodded then headed to the basement. **

April went to the basement; she was slow going but knowing that sleep was just around the corner for her made getting things done at least pleasant. She was going to make sure she bleached everything in the shower but Peter seemed to already have done that; another assumption making her feel like an ass, check. April then called Melissa, which would have been a good idea except it was 2 am and she was asleep and also apparently a very angry morning person by the shouting that occurred when she picked up; something about stupid supernatural people needing to sleep regular hours like everyone else. April quickly let her go back to sleep as she dialed Deaton's number instead; it went straight to voicemail so she would have to try another way. April quickly went to her vault and opened it, she was told only to use this means of communication in the severest of crises; she figured knowing who was behind not only a dead pool, but the kidnapping of the sovereign pregnant wife would be just cause. April picked up the satellite phone and pressed the number Deaton had made her memorise in case of something drastic. He didn't pick up, but she knew he wouldn't since the number was for an old analogue voice recorder; she left a coded message they had created years ago and hung up.

April began shuffling through the last of the papers from Eichan House transactions, hoping something might turn up between Meredith and Gerard or at least someone working for him. She didn't realise she was getting drawn in by all of the shady business of Eichan House till she felt someone looming behind her. She looked at the clock; she had been down in the basement for almost a half hour! She sighed, glancing at the paper in front of her; it was then that she froze. Sheriff Stilinski was in debt up to his eye balls with Stiles hospital bills. That was also the moment Peter decided to steal the paperwork.

**"****So this important billing paperwork is what couldn't wait till morning?" Peter drawled out as he looked over the billing of numerous owing clients.**

**"****Actually yes and no, I was trying to get a hold of Deaton; no such luck. This was me tiding up and getting caught up in an investigation of sorts. Can I have that back please?" I said yawning as I held my hand out for the file. **

**"****Are you coming to bed or am I dragging you up?" Peter asked as he raised one eyebrow in threat of doing exactly what he said.**

**"****Bed…as much as I'd love to be down here to finish up. I don't actually have a death wish." I said raising a corner of my mouth, knowing full well I was ready to collapse. **

**"****Could have fooled me" Peter said rolling his eyes and looking at me like I was some kind of reckless adrenaline junkie; it's not my fault trouble has followed me since birth! I mean not entirely anyway. I went to stand up and groaned as my knee down had fallen asleep leaving me with the terrible sensation of pins and needles. **

**"****My foot's just asleep, I can walk!" I almost screeched as Peter lifted me up against his still bare torso; apparently he was sleeping shirtless and in grey track pants. I struggled for a moment till I realised he wasn't letting me down no matter what I did, so I went along with it; not very often I got carried to bed anyway, might as well take advantage. **

**"****F.Y.I. I like you a lot better when you just let me have my way, you know." Peter whispered as I wrapped my arms around his neck as we ascended the two sets of stairs to my bedroom. **

**"****F.Y.I. I like you better when I get mine." I said back although to be honest I was already starting to fall asleep in his arms, which was truly rare since I rarely ever slept well near a man let alone one I knew could be dangerous. **

**"****Fair enough." Peter said as he laid me down on one side of my king size bed. He went to the other side and crawled under the covers with me, I probably should have put pillows between us but I had already started to drift off by the time Peter's arm flung around my waist. **

**"****Bonsoir mon Loup Garou…" I mumbled before drifting off to sleep. I don't know what made me say goodnight or call him MY werewolf in French but it's what came naturally; and that in itself scared me more than anything I had faced this week!**


	18. Chapter 18

~_Author's note~ ****I'd like to first say I can't believe the interest in this story! Thank you so much for the follows and favourites; they are unbelievable! I'd also like to apologise for the last few chapters since they have been a little slow going...actually my brain is a little slow going of late lol. Anyway please let me know what you guys think, I love all your reviews! I'll hopefully update again before the holidays but if not HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!****_

The morning came and went for April; she was snuggling towards the warmth of her bed as she began to wake around noon, what she didn't realise was that the warmth was actually a full grown man! She moved towards it with no motive other than to feel cozy and warm. It was great till her hand hit abs…lots and lots of abs! April's eye flew open and starred at her hand than at the man she was touching; she relaxed slightly when she realised it was Peter, it wasn't really a calming thought that her first reaction to seeing Peter Hale in her bed was relief! One finger at a time she slowly raised her hand off his stomach, she was almost free and clear but then Peter's hand grabbed hers. Well so much for sneaking away! His thumb caressed April's hand in slow circular motions as his fingers mingled with hers; she lay transfixed by the rhythmic movement across her skin.

**"****Come here" Peter mumbled as he tugged on my hand and I allowed it; it hadn't been since Robert that I had a lazy Sunday with a man. I placed my head on his chest feeling his heart beat steadily underneath it; I wanted to feel anxious or something akin to fear but all I felt was safe. **

**"****How long have you been up?" I asked as I felt it run through my hair.**

** "****Since you began squirming about ten minutes ago." He said as his chest rumbled beneath my ear. Despite the fact that most things out of his mouth annoyed me to no end, the tone of it always left me a little hot and bothered; his morning voice was even sexier.**

** "****Sorry, I don't usually lounge in bed very long." I said tracing his body with my eyes; the man was something I'd like to check out as long as possible.**

** "****I can tell; your bed feels like it was made out of rocks. Honestly it's a wonder you get any sleep at all." He sighed out as he twisted underneath me in discomfort. It was true my bed was hard, but I great used to it as I grew up; I never was allowed a proper mattress when I was a kid so I became accustom to sleeping on hard surfaces. **

** "****Well sorry princess, did my big bad mattress hurt your precious back?" I sassed out earning myself an overly exaggerated eye roll from Peter.**

** "****Don't be annoying, I already have to deal with a bunch of teenagers on a regular basis." Peter said grumbling as he pulled me closer to him and flipped me so I was pinned beneath him. **

** "****Excuse me but I have to deal with your annoying ass and an ENTIRE high school of teenagers, now get off me you big oaf!" I huffed out as I attempted to blow a piece of hair out of my face; it didn't work so Peter wiped it away for me. He weighed a ton but despite this fact I enjoyed feeling weighted down by something, or someone in this case. **

** "****Well actually I was thinking of doing something a bit more adult friendly…" he growled out as he kissed me, I was going to tell him to stop; but I didn't have to. Which was probably a good thing, seeing as my record for telling him not to kiss me wasn't so great; actually it was non-existent. **

** "****OH. MY. GOD! I'm sorry, look I'll come back another time…." Melissa said walking into my bedroom and not only getting a good view of Peter's ass in boxer briefs but our obvious kissing. This was awkward to say the least. **

** "****I'll meet you downstairs Melissa." I groaned out; as I flopped back into my pillow as Peter got off the bed with the biggest smirk on his face. The man literally just had his cake and ate it I swear because the grin was the most insufferable thing I'd ever seen!**

** "****She could come back up, I'm pretty enough to handle two gorgeous women." Peter said smiling his irritating grin making me roll my eyes as I crawled out of bed; at least my runt abilities were back as I stretched my sore but manageable body. **

** "****Peter, just go; she was obviously upset about something so unless you want to stay for girly chit chat. Just go." I said rolling my eyes as he sauntered into my bathroom like he owned the place. Now to get dressed and deal with whatever trouble Melissa had brought to my door; like I didn't have enough drama on my plate. **

April went into her closet, she should have maybe grabbed a shower since her hair was a disaster and she smelt of Peter Hale; but Melissa was downstairs so she skipped it. She grabbed a jean shirt dress from her closet and threw her hair in a bun; April didn't bother with makeup as she didn't really see the point in impressing Melissa after what she'd seen of her earlier. Before April made her way to the lower level she folded Peter's shirt and quickly scribbled her phone number on it, figuring that despite her best efforts to stay away from this man he kept popping up into her life either way. April figured he would leave to go home while she dealt with whatever emergency Melissa was about to drop in her lap so she headed downstairs to face the day; or rather afternoon at this point.

**"****Listen I know you are a grown ass woman, who can make decisions for herself; but seriously him! I thought you were here to help save my son not sleep with the guy who tried to kill him BUT me too!" Melissa shrieked out, did I mention I just woke up; because I'm pretty sure her shrill voice just killed my ears. **

** "****F.Y.I. I may have had my hand chopped off last night but my hearing works just fine." Peter said in a snarky tone as he came up behind me with his duffle bag and slipping an arm around my waist. I would have scolded him but honestly Melissa's voice might have killed my own hearing. **

** "****Firstly, as you said I am a grown ass woman so I can sleep with whomever I choose; secondly have you ever heard of knocking? Thirdly I may have SLEPT beside him but there was no coitus because oh wait I was still injured from saving your son's werewolf ass! Fourthly Peter I thought I told you to leave?" I said turning towards him and raising an eyebrow at his obvious trouble making. Honestly he may not like teenagers but he sure liked acting like one!**

** "****Just wanted to give you a kiss goodbye, sweetheart" Peter said kissing my cheek and winking at Melissa as he went out my front door. The man was completely insufferable! Now for the over protective motherly character in my house!**

** "****You know what, you're right shouldn't have barged in like that. Actually I was surprised the key you gave me unlocked your whole house. I can go if you'd like?" Melissa said all of a sudden nervous and awkward. Okay this really must be an emergency of she was acting this way.**

** "****Melissa you have every right to not like him, but he's hot, god don't ever let him hear me say that; so if I want to put a stop to this three year dry spell, I will use him to his full advantages. So spill Mel, because you look ready to have a stroke!" I said looking at her pace along my hallway to the kitchen. **

** "****Wait, three years?! That's worse than me and I have a kid! No wonder you are useless against his charm, oh good lord don't him hear me say that either. Well you know how I told you about Rafael leaving because of the school shooting he was involved in…yeah well he's on his way back; which wouldn't be a problem except he's bringing someone with him!" Melissa spat out in one very long run on sentence. **

** "****Oh thank god, guy drama!" I said in a sigh, I truly didn't think I could handle any more supernatural problems.**

** "****This is MORE than guy drama; he's bringing his FIANCE! How the hell am I supposed to tell Scott this and damn it all too hell but how am I supposed to compete against a twenty something chick which he invited over for dinner with me!" Melissa screeched out. I already didn't like her ex because well he was an abusive alcoholic but now to spring this news, which I'm sure was already a well-known fact for a while; is just a douchebag move!**

** "****His WHAT! Ohhhh we are so planning revenge! Spill I want every detail of this fucking ass hat!" I screeched just as loud as her; oh let the games begin.**

Well apparently April had been correct in her douchebag assumption of Rafael since he had dropped this news on her only a few hours before his arrival to town. Not only that but he invited himself over to Melissa's house for an adult only dinner, he had casually stated that he knew she was single which was good so they could all get to know each other better; he stated it would be a way for her to get out with adults (like she didn't have a job or anything)! Basically he was putting Melissa in a corner and shoving his new toy in her face; there wasn't anything anyone could say to April; this guy was a dick bag piece of work with only a VERY few redeeming qualities. April decided that Melissa was not only bringing a date she would be joining this dinner come hell or high water. She was meeting this dick and she was going to have a few words with him. Melissa said she couldn't just find a date in a few hours; April believed otherwise, actually she knew otherwise. However it was Melissa saying that the Sheriff and Rafael didn't get along that made April's tinkering mind work in overtime. Not only was Melissa getting a date she was going to undermine every thought of that rat bastard ex of hers. It was going to be fun! Melissa seemed to think otherwise.

April had in fact put in a few calls to past friends and colleagues on the whereabouts of Gerard Argent; just in case someone was able to find them. She may not like her brother or his tactics but she did like his wife so she was trying everyone and everything to find a location on this man; and hopefully Sarah. Despite this she knew she had to continue her life here in Beacon Hills, and that meant going on date night with Melissa and her ex. She knew Melissa was not only exhausted from the last few days but also strung out emotionally as a mother; Scott wasn't exactly the safest son. April decided the best way to help Melissa was not only making her comfortable with the man she set up for her with but also a man able to get under Rafael's skin the most; her only option, the Sheriff. So April headed to his house, this was not the thing to ask over the phone; hopefully letting Melissa figure out dinner would be enough to occupy her for the mean time.

**"****What the hell are you doing here?" Stiles asked his eyes wide with shock and confusion. It wasn't like she didn't know the kid didn't like her and was probably at this moment trying to figure everything there was to know about her; but seriously he needed a lesson in manners. **

** "****Hi, how are you? Nice to see you again, salutations; any of those would be appropriate ways to greet your teacher Stiles." I said raising an eyebrow and leaning back on one hip. He obviously didn't appreciate my sarcasm because he was thinking really hard for a comeback and yet still had a hard time hiding a smile. **

** "****Stiles who is it?" Malia asked bounding down the stairs behind him.**

** "****Your favourite teacher, or should I say assassin/Runt" Stiles said crossing his arms and attempting to look what I suppose was intimidating…or constipated, I really wasn't sure which. **

** "****Hello Malia, I was stopping by to say thank you for stopping the dead pool and to see if you guys were all right after the last few days. Plus I need to speak to the Sheriff." I said smiling at the girl who I'd become quite close to over my time here in Beacon Hills. **

** "****You lied to me." Malia simply said crossing her arms and letting her eyes turn yellow. **

** "****I did. I will continue to lie to you in the future if it protects your life. It was what I came here to do, I'm sorry if that hurts your feelings but I'd rather you hate me than be dead." I said just as simply as she did, I was not afraid of either these two students but I could empathise with them. **

** "****Fine, come on in. What do you need to talk to Stiles' dad for?" Malia asked as she left gawking Stiles at the doorway; he was utterly flabbergasted that Malia just accepted my explanation and let me into his house. **

** "****Yeah, what do you need to talk to my dad for?" Stiles said closing the door behind us and collecting himself. **

** "****Well I'd like to discuss that with him if you don't mind, but it's not supernatural related if that helps. Well shall we sit? I'm sure you are buzzing with questions Stiles; and I promise to answer them as long as you let me keep some of my personal life, just that." I said looking around the house and smiling at the obvious bachelor pad. **

** "****Wait, seriously; you'll just answer like that." Stiles said as he snapped his fingers and looked at me suspiciously. **

** "****Well you didn't get the scoop since you were trying to stop payment of the dead-pool, and you are one of the smart ones of the group so yes; I figure you should know something about me." I said smiling and adjusting my purse as it began falling off my shoulder. **

** "****Well, okay then. Let's go sit in the kitchen; would you like something to drink?" Stiles asked as he led the way to the kitchen table. **

** "****Water would be great, thank you. I'm assuming your father is out seeing as his cruiser isn't in the drive way." I said sitting down and drinking from the glass Malia handed to me. They both stab own across from me and Stiles began his inquisition. **

** "****What's a Runt? What exactly are your weaknesses, strengths? How old are you and don't give me a roundabout answer. Why did you come here? How do you know Dr. Deaton? Why would you come defend a bunch of teenagers you've never met? Why are you hanging around Peter Hale? Also where you were yesterday, Isaac said it wasn't our business." Stiles asked in one breath. The kid did ask all the right questions but a breath in between them would have been nice. **

** "****Stiles; breathe." Malia said as she soothed his arm which leaned on the table. **

** "****Okay let's start at the beginning there Spanish inquisition. I came because as you said my friend Alan Deaton asked me to. He cares for Scott and his pack, which is rare for Alan. Secondly I've known him since I was a young child, he's like an uncle to me; he's also the only person I really consider family. Why I would do that has to do with a past I'm trying to make up for and a past I'd rather not talk about. I'm hanging around Peter since he has begrudgingly saved my butt a few times and not only that but my brother kidnapped him yesterday; Peter's fine by the way." I said as I looked at Malia who became anxious at the mention of her biological father. **

** "****Also my brother and my relation to him is none of your business, just know he is also after the Benefactor who I've discovered is Gerard Argent; which I told Scott and Derek about yesterday. So I think that covers everything." I said taking a long drink from my glass and making sure Stiles and Malia followed my very long speech. **

** "****Okay, I still don't trust you but I don't think you're from the dark side either." Stiles said giving me the eye of suspicion but also giving out his hand to shake. **

** "****So can we go back to having sex now?" Malia asked outright, making me chuckle and Stiles go beat red. **

** "****Don't look at me; I'm a killer assassin I don't judge!" I said shrugging my shoulders at Malia's comment and Stiles trying to blubber out an excuse. **

** "****Stiles, I'm home; can you help me with the bags?" the sheriff yelled from the front door. Stiles was still awkwardly standing with Malia trying to explain what not to say to strangers, so I figured I'd go help the sheriff instead of watching the teenage drama unfold. **

** "****Your son is with Malia, need a hand?" I said scaring the wits out of the Sheriff as he grabbed two bags out of the trunk. **

** "****Shit! You trying to give me a heart attack, what're you doing at my house?" John said almost dropping the grocery bag in the process. **

** "****Sorry, I was just trying to give you a hand and I've come to ask you a favor." I said grabbing the grocery bag from his arms as they began to slip from his grasp. **

** "****Sorry, didn't mean to bite off your head; does this mean you coming to tell me the truth about those high school murders too." John said giving me a very suspicious look.**

** "****Well I wasn't going to but it seems if I'm going to ask for a favor I might need to. Come on I think your ice cream is melting. Oh by the way this is for you." I said giving him the faxed letter I got from Eichan House earlier. I had given them a very nice conversation about how they treat patients and better yet how they could avoid a very expensive lawsuit; they immediately settled the Stilinski debts.**

** "****You wouldn't have anything to do with this would you?" he asked as we got to the kitchen to see the papers I had handed to him outside.**

** "****I don't know what you're talking about." I said sweetly as I helped put the groceries away and spotted Malia and Stiles spying from the other room. I gave them my best teacher look to which they ran up the stairs and probably had a secret vent to spy on.**

** "****Thank you, so who are you really? Werewolf? Hunter? Whatever the hell Parish is." John said as he sat at the head of the table looking utterly exhausted by the new supernatural world he had been thrust into.**

** "****None of the above; I'm a runt. Long story short my family is all alpha werewolves and I was born half human and half werewolf. I'm slightly stronger than you but for the most part I'm completely human. I also have a checkered past, which I'd rather not talk about but I did come here with good intentions; I came to protect your kids. Deaton asked me to come and protect Scott's pack, which as you probably know includes Stiles even if he is only a pain in the ass." I said making John laugh and Stiles yell upstairs a loud hey. I just smirked and let the sheriff ask any more questions before I'd ask my big one. **

** "****So how do you know Deaton then? Also what happened at the school, I know you had something to do with the murders there?" the sheriff asked in his most professional manner. **

** "****Actually you'll have to ask Derek and Braden about most of them, the only one I caused was the one with the slashed throat; and honestly if I wasn't trying to protect everyone's ass you wouldn't have found any body. Oh and the warehouse burning yesterday was my fault too, but I made sure no one was inside and also made sure the fire was contained." I said trying to think of any other crimes I had committed while being here for such a short time. **

** "****Why keep it a secret? Why tell me now?" He said making me smile at the man's cunningness; he simply would be a great date for Melissa. **

** "****We decided to keep my identity a secret so I could be a last defense against those who were using the Dead Pool, it would be the best way to keep everyone safe. I'm telling you now because Scott already knows as does almost everyone in your little inner circle. Also I figure if I'm going to ask you out I might as well be honest with you." I say then quickly realise that I meant to say ask him out for Melissa but now his face was going red and obviously uncomfortable; as was apparently mine too. I thought this would be a good idea until I screwed it up!**

** "****Look, you are a really attractive young woman and …" John started; I stopped him before it could get any more awkward. **

** "****STOP! I didn't mean for me…okay let me start over. I'm here on behalf of Melissa McCall. She needs a date tonight. Her ex is bringing back his fiancé and she needs some backup and I thought you two would be perfect together." I say as fast as humanly possible because this was going horribly wrong. **

** "****Oh thank god, I don't mean it like that but yeah I'm not fighting Peter Hale for you. Wait, Rafael has a fiancé! When the hell did that happen; oh that ass hole!" the sheriff rambled out as his anger took over. **

** "****So I take that as a yes? Good because I have flowers in the car, give me a minute, oh and you might want to tell Stiles if he didn't already eavesdrop into the whole conversation." I said as I went to the car to grab the flowers I had already bought on my way here. **

April gave the Sheriff his flowers which would be perfect to shove in Melissa's exes face and then left to go get her date; well if he agreed anyway. She was going to go alone but Melissa said if she was being set up April had to bring someone too; so much for staying away from Peter Hale. She knew this would be too good for Peter to pass up but he was also a shit and would make April work for the date. She went to the building that Peter lived in and realised she may have given Peter her number but she never got his! Hopefully there was a buzzer.

**"****Oh hello dear, are you trying to see Mr. Hale?" Richard asked as I walked towards the buzz codes.**

** "****Yes, I was going up but I forgot my phone; any chance you could let me in?" I said smiling at the old man who seemed like a genuinely decent man. **

** "****Not supposed to but I don't think you are going to hurt anyone." He said as he buzzed me in; if only he knew the truth. **

** "****Promise no murder; although maiming him isn't out of the question. By the way I'm April." I said giving my hand for him to shake and gaining a chuckle from the older man. **

** "****You sound like my Emily, she says you can't live with them and can't shoot them either." Richard said chuckling and taking me to the elevator. **

** "****Well she sounds like a wonderfully smart woman; which reminds me we should do lunch sometime soon. I'm sure Peter would love to." I said making a vague commitment but also not giving any definite plans because although everyone seemed to think Peter and I were together; WE ARE NOT!**

** "****Oh Emily would love that; well have a good evening." Richard said opening the elevator door and giving me a goodbye nod. **

** "****You too" I said as the elevator doors closed in front of me and the elevator began to go up. Go up to my doom I thought as the floor numbers dinged.**

April was getting more and more nervous about the whole thing. All she really wanted to do was get off the elevator and run right back to her truck. She was a confident woman but because it was Peter she was dragging her feet; Melissa owed her BIG time! Not only would Peter probably make fun of her, he'd most definitely want something out of this…and it wouldn't be good. April walked towards the door and she swore that it was getting farther away every step she took. She finally got to the door and took a breath and knocked.

** "****It's open" Peter yelled from the other side of the door. Well that was odd I never expected him to let someone in to his apartment without checking who it was first; maybe I didn't know him as well as I thought.**

** "****So do you just let anyone walk into your place or am I special?" I said closing the door behind me and coming into the open concept condo. Peter sat on the couch book in hand with his usual V-neck and jean combo. **

** "****I could smell you coming, that and your heart was racing about a mile a minute; very unusual for you, is that because you were coming to see my handsome face?" Peter drawled out, his eyes never leaving the page in front of him but the corner of his mouth rising into a small smirk. **

** "****What are you reading?" I asked trying to avoid the topic of my racing heart and more importantly get it under control. **

** "****You are horrible at small talk, what do you want?" Peter said chuckling and putting the book down which seemed to be one of his many older texts. **

** "****Fine, you know how Melissa came by this morning?" I asked which apparently got Peter's interest piqued. **

** "****Yes, I remember her interrupting our very lovely morning; if you want a repeat my bed's just down the hall." Peter said his eyes gleaming with lustful and dangerous thoughts. **

** "****Yeah, that's not why I'm here, although nice try. Melissa as you know was married, well the asshole is coming back to the town and he's bringing his fiancé; actually he's basically throwing her in Melissa's face and making her cook dinner with no warning at all. Sorry off track there, I need you to come as my date to this dinner thing, I'm setting Melissa up with the Sheriff because well it will get under Rafael's skin; the ex. So basically I'm going to need back up in being a manipulative and teaching this selfish prick a lesson on behalf of Melissa who is trying for Scott's sake to be a nice person. Personally I think Scott should kick his dad's ass but apparently he has some redeemable qualities." I said pacing back in forth in front of Peter's TV. Peter sat back and processed; which made my warning bells go off on high alert. He wasn't charitable so what the hell was he going to make me do!**

** "****Quite the elaborate little scheme you've put together; I mean it's a little novice but I like it. I'll go with you on one condition." Peter said after a few minutes of silence. Well here comes the trouble.**

** "****I figured, what would you have me do, dear one?" I said rolling my eyes and hoping for something easy and not diabolical. **

** "****Well actually three conditions; one, our faux relationship will be ending right here and now, which means that tonight is an actual date with me. Second I get to pick out what Melissa and you wear tonight. Three I eventually want to know what your brother meant by beloveds being tortured, not immediately but soon. Oh and if there is to be any scheming tonight I think I ought to at least be looped in on it we both know I'm better at it anyway." He said smiling at my jaw literally dropping. WHAT THE HELL KIND OF CONDITIONS ARE THOSE!**

** "****What?" I said after a few seconds of going slightly brain dead. **

** "****You heard me April, if you want a date those are my conditions; I mean you can go ask that sorry excuse of a coach if you'd like instead but I think we both know you'd rather get stabbed again than go on a date with him." Peter said cockily. It would serve him right if I walked right out of his apartment and asked the coach but seriously if I heard another conversation about the movie Independence Day; I'd stab myself!**

** "****Well if you know me at all you should know I won't be taking fashion advice from a guy who wears a leather long coat like a villain out of a Disney movie!" I said crossing my arms and glaring at him. The first two conditions I was nervous about but the third utterly terrified me; Melissa may have patched me up but this would sooooo make us even!**

** "****Fine, then only Melissa's outfit; do we have a deal sweetheart?" Peter asked as I pondered the consequences of what he was saying; if I was really going to date him then I could end it anytime I wanted. Well at least he wasn't the only one who could find a loophole. **

** "****Fine, but just so you know I don't like this one bit, not one single bit!" I said pouting slightly and sinking into his armchair with my arms crossed which sat across from him. **

** "****Fair enough; so when does this dinner start?" Peter asked looking at the clock which read 3:30pm.**

** "****It starts at 6 but Melissa wants me there by 5 so I can help out with dinner and make sure she's more gorgeous than usual." I said texting Melissa saying everything was set, including my own date. **

**"Fine then I'll come pick you up in an hour from your place I'm assuming you're not wearing that this evening? I'll bring Melissa her outfit." Peter said in a snarky tone and waved his hand like I was a naughty child being dismissed. **

** "****I may have agreed to be your real date but that also means I can end it when you're a jack ass; just keep that in mind oh snarky one." I said and turned on my heels and left his apartment with a huff. This date was going to be short!**

April drove back to her house and got ready, well actually she sat in front of her closet for a half hour trying to figure something to wear; maybe she should have let Peter pick something. She decided on a lace black dress, it was sophisticated but also simple enough for a dinner party. She knew it made her look hot but it also covered her body making no one look twice at her scars; which with the guests tonight was probably a good idea. She paired the dress with a leather strappy heel; all in all her outfit would hopefully wipe that smirk off of Peter Hale's face. Before putting on the shoes though she grabbed a gun and placed it on a garter holster; she may be having a date night but she also wanted to be prepared in case of emergency with the troublesome teenagers and men at the dinner table. She quickly did her makeup and curled her already wavy hair finishing everything in minutes; she went downstairs to grab the wine for the dinner party. At 4:30 on the dot she heard Peter at the door, when she opened it well to say she may have drooled a little wouldn't have been a huge exaggeration. Peter stood there with a light blue dress shirt and fitted motorcycle jacket; the man literally dripped sex. April quickly gathered herself and realised that he was devouring her up with his eyes just as much as she had.

**"****You look gorgeous, may I?" Peter said offering to take the wine bottles out of my hand and giving me his hand to walk to his car. **

** "****So this prince charming act, how long is it going to last?" I said as he opened the passenger door of his car and let me take my seat. **

** "****You wound me, I'm always charming." He said showing me a melt worthy smile. The only problem was I knew who he really was; the wolf in every sense of the word. **

** "****Yeah and I'm just a teacher." I said raising an eyebrow at Peter who smirked at my comment but didn't say a word. **

** "****Does Scott know about his father's new fiancé? Or is this a lovely surprise his father is dropping on him?" Peter asked after a few minutes out of my driveway.**

** "****Honestly I'm not sure, Rafael wanted to keep it a secret and just introduce her to Scott; but Stiles knows so he'll probably find out beforehand. We both know those two share basically everything." I said playing with my clutch beads as a way to distract me from the way Peter's scent filled the car; which was the combination of leather and what smelt of pines and wild. **

** "****I may not like Scott but even I've got to admit that's a douche move from a father." Peter said making me chuckle since I'd basically said the same thing this afternoon to Melissa; well except for the whole disliking him thing. **

** "****From what Melissa's told me and what I've pieced together myself the guys a right dick. Honestly the only good thing he's done for Scott was leave and get sober; well that and saving Stiles' life." I said leaning my head back and letting the sound of the engine lull me into a relaxed state. **

** "****and people call me the bad guy here" he said smirking and I couldn't help but laugh; yeah Scott's dad was a piece of work but pretty sure werewolf who kills people is probably worse. **

** "****So should I even ask what you picked out for Melissa or are you going to let me sit here and grow more and more anxious about it?" I said looking in the empty backseat and seeing no clothes and no bags. **

** "****I already dropped it off before I got you; do have a little faith I am a guy and I did ask Melissa out so I know exactly what will get under any exes skin, let alone hers." Peter said grinning mischievously as he looked every bit the maniacal schemer he was. **

** "****Well other than that awful cape thing you have you can clean up well; so maybe it won't be too horrific." I said picking off a piece of lint that was on his shoulder. I realised then that it was the first time I had touched Peter since this morning and a small part of me missed the contact; a VERY small part of me.**

** "****Was that a compliment? I knew my charming good looks would get to you eventually." He said lifting one corner of his mouth ever so slightly as he took his eyes off the road and looked at me. The man had an insufferably big ego!**

** "****Just promise me one thing…don't kill anyone tonight; they'll be enough problems as it is, we don't need to add murder too." I said giving him a steely eyed look and hoping that he'd listen so I wouldn't have to kill him too.**

** "****Despite what those narcissistic teenagers say, I don't actually murder people without a purpose." he said in an annoyed voice.**

** "****That's what worries me." I whispered to myself as we pulled into Melissa's driveway. **

** "****Do you always assume the worst of people?" he asked looking at me as he turned off the car. His face gave no emotion away, which was never a good thing. **

** "****Yes because it's the easiest assumption to make." I said sadly as I opened the car door. Peter although flawed still believed that human love and goodness would win out. He believed it so much that it was what he used to manipulate everyone around him; I would never believe that again. **

** "****What the hell is he doing here?" Melissa said as she opened the door to see Peter behind me. I might have forgotten to let her in on the plan…this would be interesting.**

** "****Nice to see you too Melissa" Peter said grinning from behind me and placing a hand at the small of my back. **

** "****April he's my date for tonight? Seriously?" Melissa said frustrated and with her hands flying into the air like she was going to throttle someone; probably me. **

** "****I'm flattered but actually I'm here with April; your date is much less dashing." Peter said as he showed off his body with a wave of his hand; the man seriously had the biggest ego I had ever witnessed. **

** "****Do you seriously think I'd make Narcissus here, your date? Give me a little credit, no your date will be a good man who gets under your ex's skin; hell he could even get under someone else too." I said winking and walking past Melissa who stood there opened mouthed at my audacity. **

** "****You should give her some credit she actually is a little bit of an evil genius." Peter said as Melissa ushered him into the house.**

** "****That's what scares me." Melissa said heading to the kitchen where I was throwing my coat over one of the dining chairs. **

** "****Alright let's go get you ready." I said turning around and looking at Melissa's outfit of jeans and an old t-shirt. **

** "****I can't I have to finish the potatoes and check the roast." Melissa said as she tried to go to the kitchen, she was nervous as hell and I really couldn't blame her but no way was she meeting her ex-husband's new fiancé dressed like that. **

** "****That's why I brought Peter; let's go no more excuses." I said grabbing Melissa's hand and smiling at Peter who seemed rather annoyed that I appointed him cook. We both walked up the stairs and by the time we got to her room I was literally biting my tongue so I wouldn't laugh out loud; his face was utterly priceless.**

** "****April this dress is gorgeous but honestly it must have cost you a fortune." Melissa said as she pulled out a rich burgundy dress that flowed to the knee; it was simple but yet sexy as hell. Peter outdid himself, did I mention it was couture! **

** "****Actually it was just something in my closet you go put this on and I'll do your hair." I said quickly as I knew if Melissa knew that Peter picked the dress, well she'd probably be likely to burn it; and it was too nice for that to happen.**

It took about a half hour till Melissa was finished and while she did the finishing touches on her makeup; April went downstairs to help Peter. April came down to find Peter perfectly comfortable in Melissa's homey kitchen, she actually took about a minute before making herself known so she could just watch him in it. He was fluid and confident, although the confidence really wasn't a shocker; the fluidity that he moved and worked with the food did shock her. He was relaxed in the environment, no scheming or façade it was simply Peter Hale; and she wondered if anyone actually knew him at all. She made herself known to Peter and the minute she did it was like his entire aura changed; April didn't get much time to analyse it because Melissa walked down the stairs and looked stunning! It was at that moment that we heard a knock on the door.


End file.
